Mass Effect The Revenge
by Aristocat
Summary: "I dug my grave a long time ago. I'm just trying to fill the others I dug for those responsible." When the trail of revenge runs cold, Orion is forced to help old friend Shepard in order to put an end to his near decade long vendetta. Quid pro quo. ML/OC MS/LT
1. The Hunt

Mass Effect The Revenge

**Chapter 1 – The Hunt**

He had them on the run now. The Blue Suns retreated spraying bullets in the lone mans direction. Throwing them away like loose change. Not taking their time. They were panicked and easy pickings. Seeing the change in battle, the man crouched low and sprinted to a cover on his far right. Climbing on the crate he pulls the sniper rifle off of his back and lines up the shot. The batarians still firing at the space he had been at earlier, clueless to their imminent death. The man breaths evenly as he fires. Five shots ring out in quick succession sending five bullets into the heads of five batarians. They all fall to the ground with a thud showing a woman as the last standing.

"Fucking batarians." He spits as he stands, revealing his position to the woman. The one who has what he wants. Wide eyed, the woman looks around frantically before predictably running in the opposite direction. Reloading his sniper rifle before putting it on his back he follows her slowly. Having knowingly forced her into this bear trap, he knows there was no escape. Walking across the bridge the man's pulse quickens. After chasing the woman nearly halfway across the galaxy and killing countless mercenaries along the way he had her cornered in the under belly of Omega. Finally he was going to get answers. His vengeance was fast approaching. Rounding the corner she came into view, back against the wall of a dead end.

"There is nowhere left to run." The man's husky voice echoes in the empty room. She looks around one last time before giving in, leaning against the wall with a smile. She opens her mouth as if to say something before going for her pistol. Before she can take aim a knife pins her arm against the wall causing her last hope to be dropped to the ground. She looks at her helpless arm and breaks out into manic laughter.

"Did you really think that was going to work?" He asks while closing in on her. She continues to laugh for a moment before regaining her composure. Brushing her straight black hair out of her face with her free hand she looks at him with dead eyes.

"For a second there, yeah. I kind of did."

"Enough of this bullshit! I've been hunting you for too long. Now tell me what I want to know!" She stares at him with a smirk on her face before bursting into more laughter. He is upon her in a moment, the back of his hand smacking her so hard across the face that her head crashes into the wall behind with a loud crack. Her head swings back around and slumps to the side as she continues to chuckle. Smiling up at him she lets the blood that covers her head drip down her face freely.

"What do you want to know?" The woman toys with him like an animal playing with their food when it should be the other way around. He doesn't like it.

"You know very well what I want. Who was behind Akuze?" The man tries to keep his voice steady but this bitch has already used up his last ounce of patience.

"Akuze?" she laughs "I haven't the faintest idea what the** fuck** you're talking about. " The man had just about enough of this crap. Taking his pistol from his hip he points it at her kneecap and fires without blinking. _Who's laughing now? _He thinks as she screams. Using her free hand to clutch at her knee, she slides down the wall, forcing her pinned arm to rotate around the knife.

"I am running out of patience but that doesn't mean I'm going to make this quick. Oh no, you're going to begging me to put you down. I think I may start with your fingers, alternatively blowing and cutting them off one at a time and that's just the beginning." He says as he crouches down in front of her grabbing her by the chin roughly, so he can look her in the eye.

"Don't. Fuck. With. Me." He spits in her face and drops her chin. The woman's head slumps against her chest. Finally she raises her heavy head to look up at the man and he notices a slight change in her. She looks defeated but a flash in her eyes makes him nervous.

"As tempting as that sounds, I'm going to have to decline." She laughs as she holds her free hand out to him. The grenade pins glisten like silver rings around her fingers. Eyes widening, he quickly pushes himself off the ground and away from her breaking into a sprint.

"You will never find them Orion!" She calls after him. "Give up." She mutters staring after him with a twisted smile on her face before exploding in a massive ball of fire. The blast lifts him off his feet and sends him crashing into a nearby pillar causing it to crack. The broken pillar crumbles atop of him as the bridge around him groans from the blast.

Orion grumbles as he sits in the rubble, propped up against the near destroyed pillar. Feeling a bit worse for wear he gets to his feet shakily, brushing the debris off his black armoured duster coat.

N7N7N7

"FUUUUCCCCKKKK!" I yell looking at the blood patch where the woman had been just moments ago. Although I knew she was obviously dead the moment I saw the pins, the impact had only just hit me. After spending the last six months hunting her across the galaxy, my most promising lead yet and using every last credit I possessed for it to all go up in flames. With nothing! Absolutely nothing. No closer to finding the ones responsible. I continue to yell while pacing around the bridge I punch the pillar.

The only thing she had left me with was confirmation. Confirmation that there _was_ someone behind the attack and that I wasn't just a bitter and obsessed man looking for someone to blame for the event that ruined my life. The people that took away my future. That gave some relief.

The beeping of my omni tool slowly brought me back to reality.

"How did you get this channel" I bark annoyed by the interruption.

"With great difficulty and a number of credits. Am I speaking with Orion?" asks a man's voice with a confusing accent. Feeling no immediate threat and a little bit curious, I decide to keep the conversation going.

"Yes and who the hell are you?"

"My name is Donovan Hock and I have a business proposition for you. Do you still provide 'wet work' services?"

"If the price is right. Yes." I needed credits. After depleting all my funds chasing that bitch I needed to raise some capital so the hunt could begin again. Orion had been freelancing as a thief and assassin for a number of years to fund his vendetta and to hone his skills. He was the best in the business, his name feared and respected across the galaxy.

"I have sent the amount to your omni tool, it should be sufficient." It was. Not the most he has been paid for a job but it would make do.

"What's the job?"

"I'm expecting a thief by the name of Kasumi Goto to break into my vault in the next few days." Kasumi Goto. I had run into her many times over my thieving career. Sometimes I won and other times she did, our rivalry always made jobs more interesting. She was pretty good, better than me though I would never admit it out loud but she lacked marksmanship and combat training and that gave me the edge.

"I want you to wait for her in the vault. I need her alive and _cooperative _for a short period of time and then you can dispose of her as you wish." Hock continues as I pace around, picking my hat off the ground and putting it back on before walking back the way I had come.

"I'm sure you can handle one woman, so why do you need me?" Hock laughs at the other end of the line. He is already pissing me off.

"I have learnt that if a woman wants to become a nuisance she can become the greatest of them all. Besides, I believe she plans on bringing some muscle and I don't want to take any chances. This is too important and I will not underestimate her." I nod at his justified response. Sounds like easy money. Stopping as I come to the five dead batarians I stare at their bloody corpses with distaste.

"Half in my account now, half once the job is completed."

"Of course. I will wire the money immediately. Just send me your account details. I have sent you the jobs finer details. It's an honour to do business with you Orion." I grunt as I end the connection. I have no interest in flattery. Looking down at my omni tool I send him my information before turning back to the dead batarians.

"Fucking batarians." I unload my pistol into the closest one's head leaving it unrecognizable. I wipe the blood off my face as I begin to make my way to Afterlife for a much needed drink. The trail is cold for now but the hunt must continue.

N7N7N7

"Commander, the Illusive Man would like to speak to you in the briefing room. It's urgent." Shepard woke from his trance. Still stewing over the meeting with the Council he couldn't wait to get away from the Citadel.

"Thank you Miranda, I'll go right away." The raven haired beauty nodded coolly before returning to her quarters. This ought to be interesting.

"Shepard, we have a matter of some urgency." The Illusive Man states as he reclines in his chair. He takes a drag of his cigarette before continuing. I take this time to admire the impressive view and wonder, not for the first time, where the hell in galaxy he is.

"I know I had suggested for you to go to Omega first to recruit the scientist Mordin Solous however a unique opportunity has presented itself. Have you heard of the name Orion?"

"Yes, he is a thief and assassin. Extremely skilled and dangerous." Shepard answered automatically. He had never come face to face with the man but had heard several stories and rumours which made him out to be some unstoppable machine.

"Correct. Orion first appeared five years ago and has since killed hundreds, always coming out the victor. He is a skilled marksman and powerful biotic. One of three in the galaxy who can kill a man from five thousand metres, he is also an expert with knives and swords."

"Impressive." Shepard stated.

"Exactly, just the sort of man we could use on our side. I have been trying to track him down but he has been off the grid for the last year. By chance I managed to intercept a call between him and a man named Donovan Hock. Turns out Orion has been hired to help capture and kill the thief, Kasumi Goto." Shepard narrowed his eyes in recognition.

"Yes, you may have read about her in the dossier I gave you. We wish to recruit her too and this provides us the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. The best place to start would be the Citadel. We have contacted her and she has set up an unusual advertisement on a terminal in the Zakera Ward, the password is silence is golden. Go from there." The Illusive Man takes another long drag of his cigarette and waits for the questions.

"Why would Orion want to join the crew? What's the incentive?"

"I can't be sure, his files are _scattered_. He kills for credits yet he keeps items he has been commissioned to steal even if it means he is hunted down by mercenaries for months and then he kills people for seemingly no reason. Orion is unpredictable at best. I will need you to find that out for us. We need him Shepard. He could be a huge asset to our team." Shepard nods. This was going to be a dangerous mission and would need to be handled carefully. One of his recruits was the others hit. There was a very good chance that one of them would end up dead. Taking a breath Shepard locked eyes with the Illusive Man.

"I will leave immediately."

N7N7N7

"Hey cowboy."

_She smiled at me from the bed in her white underwear, her tanned brown skin glowing. So natural and beautiful. Her blonde wavy hair swayed as she sat up. _

"_Come over here cowboy." She calls softly in her Australian accent. I smirk as she mentions the pet name she has for me. It could be far worse so I can't complain. I smile crawling on the bed over her until I reach her face. She smells of lavender. I go in for a kiss but linger for a moment, teasing her and grinning as I do. She just laughs and pulls my head toward hers and into a deep but tender kiss. The kiss lasts a magical few moments before she pushes me away and laughs again._

"_My cowboy." She looks at me lovingly. A perfect moment._

"Orion? Hello?" Donovan Hock's filthy voice tears me away from my memory. I lick my lips trying to savour it as much as possible.

"You are still with us then." He smiles, clearly impressed with himself for catching me off guard. If this continues I'm just going to put a bullet in his head.

"I was admiring your hat cowboy. Do you know its history?" I glare at him. I'm not here to make small talk. I'm here for the money and that's it. Hock just continues to wait for my answer not taking the fuck off hint at all. Breathing in I entertain him for the moment.

"It's an Akubra hat, cattleman style from the late nineteenth century." I could have given more detail. I had to learn everything about the damn thing before stealing it but I wanted to end this torturous conversation with him as soon as possible. He looks at the hat with a newfound respect.

"I would be very interested in an item like that." Hock says and goes to reach for my hat. Not going to happen. I grab his hand and press my pistol hard against his cheek.

"Touch it and I blow your fucking face off." I whisper in a deadly tone. Hock puts his hands up as a sign of surrender and smiles though I can detect that I have ruffled his feathers.

"No need to get touchy. Now to business. I'm having a party tonight. A nice public event to lure Kasumi here, where you will be waiting. I need her alive. You can roughen her up as much as necessary but she must be alive. Restrain the muscle though. Then I will appear and do the business I need to do with her. After that you can get rid of them. Simple." I nod, sounds pretty straight forward.

"Now I have a party to get ready for. Be ready, _cowboy_!" Hock laughs mockingly as he walks away. If I didn't need the money so badly I would put a bullet in the back skull right now. Putting my pistol away I look around. Even in a room full of treasures I'm bored and that's never good. I need to keep busy so I don't think about the mess this search is turning into. Where do I go from here? It's all too much to think about right now. If only I could get back to my memory. If only, if only, if only. Sighing I return to fantasizing about the different ways I would kill Donovan Hock as I wait for the party to start.

N7N7N7

"Then we just waltz into the vault and take back Keiji's graybox. And I'll finally get a chance to say goodbye…" Kasumi trails off looking away from me quite deliberately.

"Unfortunately it's not going to be as easy as that. We have received information that Hock has hired the assassin Orion to capture and kill you." Kasumi quickly turns to me startled by the information.

"That bastard! Keiji probably encrypted his graybox and Hock must think I am the key to unlocking it." I can see the gears turning as she takes the new information in.

"That sounds like a logical possibility given your…_relationship_." I finish lamely but she flashes me a smile.

"Was I that obvious? Keiji's graybox holds a lot of priceless, personal memories. It's all that remains of who he was but the secret he discovered is dangerous and Orion's presence proves this. We have crossed paths many times over the last few years, it's become a bit of a game even." Kasumi smiles a little before turning back to me seriously.

"But he is a very dangerous man. He throws himself into a fight recklessly, it's…it's like he doesn't care if he lives or dies."

"Nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose." I voice my thoughts.

"Exactly, if I was going in with anyone else I would turn back now but you Shepard are more than a match for him." I smile at her kind words even if they are just to reassure me.

"Hopefully it won't come to that. We are going to try and recruit him." At this Kasumi laughs in my face.

"Well this just made things a whole lot more interesting." I can't help but join her given the situation, her laughter is infectious.

"That's what I'm going for."

N7N7N7

Pushing the magazine home into my pistol, I finish reassembling it for the tenth time. Shaving five seconds off my best time. Not too shabby. I sigh, lifting my hat up so I can run a hand through my unkempt hair. I have been here far too long. When in the hell was Goto going to show? Clearly she was getting rusty, the party had started hours ago and there was still no sign of her. Damn women, they were always late.

Sitting up, I look over the Statue of Liberty's crown surveying the room from my birds nest. Nothing but statues and other junk that has no value to me. Growling I slump back down. There was nothing left to do. The best vantage point had been chosen, I had checked and cleaned all of my weapons, memorised the floor plan of the room locating all the possible entry points and escape routes.

There was nothing left to do but wait and I hate waiting. Just as I was about to go another round of disassemble reassemble the vault door clicked open on the other side of the room. Straight through the front door, obvious choice if not unimaginative. Pressing myself hard against lady Liberty's head I steal a glance to the door. _Nice to see you again Kasumi but where are your friends_? I watch as she turns off the security cameras. A useless precaution but she doesn't know that. Staying hidden I wait. The plan is to lure her into the middle of the vault letting her find the graybox before springing the trap.

"So this is Hock's vault. Very nice." Kasumi's voice echoes though the vast room. "This scanner will hone in on the graybox, it's not far." Looking toward the ceiling my pulse begins to increase and the void takes over me. Emptying my thoughts so all my focus is on the fight ahead.

I dare not look around. It will be too messy if I'm spotted and this begins with a fire fight. Squinting my eyes I focus on the sounds around me, the echo doesn't help but I manage to make out two distinct sets of footsteps. Only one person Kasumi? I shake my head ruefully this was going to be too easy. After hearing them wander around aimlessly for a painfully long time they finally make it to the graybox.

"Oh my god, there it is." That's my cue. I stand up silently, checking my gear one last time. Of course everything is in order. I smirk as I leap off the statue's head, slowing myself down with biotics so I land silently. She stands with a man in front of me, both facing the other way. Always stay alert. I close the distance between us in moments pressing my fingers on my palms to unleash the swords out of my gauntlets. The noise of the swords alerts the man and he begins to turn but I am already on top of him. Wrapping an arm tightly around each of them, I press my swords into their necks forcing them to back up into my chest.

"Orion I presume." The man says calmly. I breathe in sharply taken aback. What's the hell was going on here? Was this a set up? Putting more pressure with the sword on their necks I bark in his ear.

"Who are you?"

"We've got a charmer here." Kasumi comments dryly.

"You shut your mouth Goto! It won't take much to cut your head off with this scrawny neck." As if indicating to her neck I push my sword against it harder, just enough to draw blood. The man notices this and begins to cut to the chase, finally.

"Look we haven't got time for this…" but he is cut off by the entrance of Donovan Hock and his two Eclipse Merc bodyguards.

"Ah Ms. Goto, I'm glad you could join us. I see you've met my friend Orion." He gestures a hand to me and smiles as he stands in front of us. Arrogant bastard.

"But I haven't met your friend." Hock begins as he takes a step closer to the man I hold hostage. "Is that? It can't be…Commander Shepard back from the dead! Your disguise for the party was very good, I would never have guessed." My gut tightens. It can't be. I saw the remains of his body with my own eyes. There was hardly anything of him left. It takes all of my strength to remain standing and stop my knees from shaking. Glad that my hat is covering my face I take a closer look at the man again with new eyes. How could I not have seen it?

"Not that it did any good, you have us now." He states calmly which takes me for a loop again. Why is he so calm? Not that he needs to worry, I have no intention of killing him but he doesn't know that.

"That is true. You are in somewhat of a pickle. I think it's time for you to give me full access to that graybox Kasumi." He focuses all of his attention on her.

"Orion." Shepard turns to me slightly and whispers barely moving his mouth, taking advantage of Hock's interrogation with Kasumi.

"Whatever he is offering I can beat it. Just trust me." Is all he manages before Hock's attention is drawn back to the group as a whole. I can beat it, he says. Wonder what is at play here.

"I think it's time to put Shepard six feet under for good. Orion, finish him." Hock waves his hand at me like I'm one of his dogs. I break into a big grin as I realize my fantasy is about to become a reality. I push Kasumi into the bodyguards on Hock's left and reach for my pistol with my free hand. I pull it up quickly as if to point it at Shepard's head but change direction at the last moment aiming at Hock. Before he can register what's happening, I blow his fucking brains out with my hand cannon. I push Shepard to the ground as I put my gun away and flare up the biotics while charging toward the Eclipse Merc's. Kasumi is clear having pushed herself away easily after the gunshot. They are still fumbling for their guns when I thrust my palms under their jaws, lifting them of the ground with my swords. Feeling them go limp in the extension of my arms, I throw them off and send them crashing into a nearby statue. I tone down the biotics returning to normal while squeezing my palms I put my swords away feeling bloody satisfaction as I do. I sense movement behind me and turn to see Kasumi standing next to Shepard clutching Keiji's graybox, both looking a little apprehensive.

I get distracted when I notice Donovan Hock at my feet. Despite the shot to the head he seems to be alive. I watch as his remaining eye rolls around wildly finally focusing on me. I smile, taking pleasure in his pain. His eye bores into me, pleading with me to end it. After a minute I pull my pistol out and finish him off showing more mercy than I have in a long time.

"Bastard." Giving him one last look I bring my attention back to Shepard and Kasumi. I can't take my eyes off him now, it's him, it's really him. He has grown a lot, matured and he carries himself with an imposing confidence that you don't see very often these days. Like a man who has seen too much, a weathered solider. He has changed.

"Orion I'm glad you made the right decision, I didn't really get time to make you much of an offer." Shepard starts as he takes as step toward me. Always so polite and diplomatic, some things never change.

"Yeah thanks." Kasumi rolls her eyes as she put pressure against the cut on her neck. It's just a scratch, what is she complaining about?

"You know I'm capable of much worse Goto. Now tell me what the hell this is all about?" I get straight to the point, no use in pussy footing around.

"We can talk about that on the Normandy. Right now we should get out of here before more merc's show up." Makes sense, though I'm surprised by his boldness. Talking to someone like me like that, you have to have some pretty big balls. I never thought he would grow them. My mouth turns up in a small smile, I'm feeling quite proud.

"You have some guts, I'll give you that. Lead the way." Shepard smirks and goes to turn around before double taking and looking back at me.

"Before we go can I ask you to take off your hat. I would like to see who is coming aboard my ship." It's not a question. Fuck. I was hoping to save this for a more private place. Kasumi takes a step closer, staring at me curiously. I guess there is no prolonging it, the moment has arrived. Looking down, I take a deep breath as I grab my hat and hold it against my chest. Looking up, I smile lopsidedly.

"Hello brother."


	2. Reunion

Mass Effect The Revenge

**Chapter 2 - Reunion**

I can't believe what I'm seeing. Blinking heavily I stare at Orion. The dangerous assassin and thief, the skilled marksman and powerful biotic. My dead brother. He looks like a different man. His face is more worn than I remember and more scars have been added to the collection. Still none of them are as imposing as the scar I know from Akuze. The dominant scar that runs over his right eye across his strong nose which is now crooked, looking like it's been broken several more times since I last saw him. His usually clean shaven square jaw was now covered with dark facial hair. There was a moustache as well as some hair on his chin and the rest was covered in rough stubble, weaving its way around his scars. So different from the clean cut marine I remember. His gunmetal blue eyes, however, remain the same, so much like my own. They are what tell me my brother's still there.

"Heath? How…how can it be you?" I manage this as my mind races with all the things I want to say, all the unanswered questions I buried away years ago. It's overwhelming.

"Wow" Kasumi states slowly and even though I can see she is standing next to me, she sounds like she is a world away.

_I could hardly hold myself steady. I was in a bad way. My face was black and blue and my right arm and possibly a couple of ribs had been broken. My legs were useless, moving without my permission in all directions. This really pissed my captors off, causing them to lash out at me with their harsh boots and guns. _

"_Stupid two eyed scum. You can't even walk can you?" The green batarian inclined his head to the right and looked at me with all four of his eyes in disgust. Spitting at me he turned back to his partner, the brown batarian, as a gunshot rings through the air._

"_We better check it out." He says before looking back at me. "Now move you worthless piece of shit!" Finishing with a kick to the guts that sends me sprawling across the ground screaming in pain, I try to soften the fall with my injured arm. I can hear them laughing as the brown one boots my face to the side so I am forced to look him in the eye._

"_Move your skinny arse boy." Unable to hold back the tears that spill down my face, I cry in silence as I haul myself back onto my shaky feet. _

'_One foot in front of the other Johnny boy, one step at a time. Come on, you can do it.' That's what Heath would say. The idea of having the ghost presence of my brother with me was more comforting and powerful than anything I could have imagined. It's what got me through that day. It's what got me through the worst day of my life. My own guardian angel watching over me. I tune out my surroundings and everything sounds as though I'm underwater. So far away. It's so much more peaceful this way._

"_We've lost another one." Brown says from somewhere distant._

"_That just means a larger cut for each of us. Think there will be any more?" Green continues._

"_Nah, most of its up in flames now anyway. Reckon he's the last one." Brown kicks me in the ribs and I grunt feeling more of them break but I'm not really there anymore so the pain's not so bad. I tried fighting back, several times even but it didn't work. They just beat me down again and again. There was only so much a sixteen year old boy could do. Now what else was there? Crawl like a turtle into its shell and shutdown? Wait for it to end?_

"_Let's get the fuck off this planet then. Filthy humans, I can't stand em." Brown kicks me in the direction he wants me to go and I obey like the horse they've broken. That's when the commotion breaks out. There are yells and clashing of metal but by the time I manoeuvre myself around it is all over. Brown and green batarian lay dead on the ground next to me and standing over them is what must surely be a mirage. My ghost in the flesh, my brother. Heath Shepard. But he isn't focused on me, he is staring at the back of green batarians head with a frightening hatred and that's when he starts stomping on it. Slow at first but picking up in speed and intensity until he is yelling with each stomp to his head. This lasted for the several minutes it takes for me to get to my feet and grab his arm and by that point the batarians head is pile of mush and bones. _

_He spins around roughly and looks at me with an expression of fear, grief and anger. For a moment I'm scared but my brother isn't gone for too long. A wave of calm seems to wash over him and he returns to the brother I know._

"_It's alright." He speaks softly and I relax. "I've got you." I smile up at my brother as I feel my body grow heavy in response to his words. I'm safe, my brother is watching over me. My guardian angel is watching over me. _

"Look Johnny boy we can talk all you want back on your ship. You're not the only one seeing ghosts but right now we need to get the hell out of here!" He finishes loudly ripping me out of my head. I shake it off and nod.

"Alright, move out." I' am Commander Shepard again.

N7N7N7

So many discoveries in such a short period of time. The trail running cold, confirmation of the plot I have been chasing for the last five years and my dead hero brother alive before my eyes. A cruel joke. I stare at my boots for what feels like an eternity. It got me through the hell that was the shuttle ride back to the Normandy.

Soon enough the ship stood before us, it was fairly impressive but that wasn't what held my gaze. It was the bright orange Cerberus logo staring at me in plain sight. The plot thickens. Johnny what the fuck have you got yourself into?

"We are going straight to my rooms, no stops." Shepard tells me as he grabs my arm wheeling me onto the ship. I don't muffle my smirk as I allow the big Commander to take control.

"Shepard I didn't get any progress reports, you know that you are meant to update me regularly on each mission."

That voice, laced in the Australian accent so much like hers. There is no way it could possibly be her but then my brother had come back from the dead…was anything impossible? Please, I need it to be her. It has to be Sophia. I stare at my boots admiring them once more as I prolong the moment of truth. Taking a deep breath I turn to where the voice had come from and all my hopes come tumbling down like a pack cards. Where blonde hair should be there is dark black hair and the skin that should be warm and brown is cold and pale. I stagger a bit and Shepard has to pull me up to steady me. This causes her to stare at me analytically before flashing back to Shepard.

"Well?" Miranda taps her foot impatiently standing next to the rest of the crew by the galaxy map blocking the way to the elevator. They all stare shamelessly at the spectacle. Shepard just grabs my arm and pushes past her.

"Later Miranda, I have other business to attend to." He says gruffly as we enter the elevator. Before the doors close I look at her one last time just to make sure it's not her, this time our eyes lock and I am certain. There is no warmth behind those eyes.

N7N7N7

"What's his problem and what is he doing with Orion? Miranda Lawson grumbled aloud.

"He's just had a visit from the ghost of Christmas past. Give him a minute." Kasumi smiles as Miranda and Kelly Chambers descend upon her.

"Tell me everything."

N7N7N7

"So, now can we talk." Shepard wakes me from my brooding state and I find myself sitting on the couch in his quarters. I don't even remember getting here from the elevator. Taking a look around I'm impressed by what I see. Fish tank, couches, king bed, music and desk with model ships. Cushy, nothing like the military bunks and bare necessities you get with the Alliance.

"Sure, a question for a question?" I say quickly surprising myself. That's what me and John used to do when we were boys. Shepard just nods as he stands in front of his bed with his arms crossed.

"Alright then. I was told by Anderson that you had been killed in a shuttle explosion. Explain." Straight to the point, I like that.

"I _was_ in that shuttle explosion but I managed to jump free of the shuttle before it exploded. I fell a few stories and luckily landed on the edge of a platform on the outskirts of the Citadel, knocking myself out in the process. By the time I came to and managed to make my way back to civilization I saw the vids. 'Heath Shepard, Akuze Survivor, dead'. My dog tags had been caught on something as I was getting the fuck out of dodge and that was the evidence they were using for my death. Bullshit if you ask me." Shepard paces before me.

"I don't understand! Why you didn't just announce you were alive?" he glares at me exasperated, I return his gaze unflinching.

"Hey it's my turn now. How are _you_ alive?" He begins pacing again.

"Unlike you, I actually did die. However some people wanted me alive and badly. More specifically Cerberus. They spent billions of credits on the Lazarus Project. A project to resurrect me and as you can see they succeeded." I grimace at the news. Sure I was glad that my brother was alive again. He couldn't know how glad I was but the news that Cerberus had their claws in him now. I didn't like it.

"That explains the big fuck off Cerberus logo on the ship. Johnny do you know what you've got yourself into_?_" I had encountered Cerberus a few times over my infamous career and I still wonder about some of the things I witnessed but each to their own. How could I chastise their actions when my own were so far in the grey that there appeared to be no silver lining to them? But that was me, when my kid brother was involved…that became a different matter entirely. Shepard stops and smiles at me warmly for the first time since our hasty reunion.

"I'm a big boy now Heath and I can look after myself." The words sting. I decide to stay silent as I wait for him to continue.

"I don't go into this blindly. I have seen some of the things they have done and they will be burned into my mind forever." He says looking at the ground darkly. "But they are the only help we have right now and I will take it. With caution of course." This eases my anxiety slightly.

"My turn. Why didn't you announce you were alive?" I lift my hat up to run my fingers through my long hair. This was going to get interesting.

"While I was sitting there in the Citadel still battered from my fall and seeing myself declared dead to the galaxy I sat and contemplated my situation. I thought, what the **fuck** is the point of returning to life of Heath Shepard? My world was burnt to the ground before me. Declared 'unfit for duty' by some Alliance bitch after nearly getting ripped in two by some unnatural _thing_… having the love of my life torn apart before my eyes." I rest my elbows on my knees and hold my head in my hands. A moment of weakness. Pull yourself together man! I thought you left this pathetic shit behind you! Snarling I resume my previous position and continue.

"Sophia…she wasn't the only one that died that day. What else was there for Heath Shepard?" I chuckle hollowly as I ask the last question out loud but Shepard doesn't find it funny. He rounds on me violently sweeping his hand across the table and smashing the glasses in front of me against the wall.

"What about me? We are all that is left of our family, doesn't the mean anything to you?" What was I worried about? He's taking this about as well as an anal probing. Fanfuckingtastic!

"You said we would always have each other's back, where were you?" He continues in a more level tone, calming down. That's a good sign.

"Wasn't I worth coming back for?" Shepard turns to me, eyes shining with unshed tears, looking at me like the scared sixteen year old boy waiting for me to tell him everything was going to be alright. I look away.

"Of course you were and I never truly left you but as I sat there reminiscing on all that I had lost I remembered something I had read in the aftermath of Akuze. A military document that had said that the beacon responsible for the transmission that brought us there on that horrendous day was unusual. It said that there was a possibility that it had been _planted _there in order to lure the Alliance Military into an ambush. This paper vanished soon after I had read it and for a while I thought I had imagined it in my fucked up state. I would have left it at that had it not been for raging fire I felt in my gut as the idea consumed me." I close my eyes as I feel the fire coming over me again.

"I managed to remember the name attached to the document and tracked him down. Raulkin, Borr Raulkin. A Salarian. He was easy enough to find, only took a few hours for me to be right in front of his building but still it wasn't quick enough. As I was about to walk in and get all my questions answered there was a crash and a squeal. I looked up in time to avoid the shards of glass that would have impaled me on the spot and the body of Borr Raulkin flying through the air. Suicide they said. Coincidence they said and crazy they called me." I sit on the edge of my seat getting more agitated by the second.

"But they weren't there. They didn't see the bastard that looked out the broken window confirming the kill and they didn't hear the screams of murder. I of course raced up there catch the son of a bitch responsible but he was long gone leaving a pathetic suicide note. Of course C-SEC bought it, ate it up. Easy open and shut case, lazy fucks." My blood boiled at the thought.

"I wouldn't let it die and so I fought them on every aspect of the case. Telling them my theories, about the man I saw and about the missing document. They called me a **raving fucking lunatic** and penned it down to a mental breakdown caused by the physical and psychological trauma from my mission on Akuze." I slammed my fist down on the couch arm reliving the moment, so outrageous I could have killed them all and I would without hesitation if they ever crossed my path again.

"It was after my final 'meeting' with C-Sec that I died. Coincidence? Unfucking likely." I finish my teeth bared. I look at John for the first time since starting my story to notice that he has stopped pacing. He is staring intently at me, no sign of mockery on his face. He goes to say something but I stop him waving a hand in the air.

"Look Johnny, this is a lot to take in and it's probably the longest conversation I've had in the last year without at least killing someone. So can we continue this later?" I get to my feet feeling drained, I'm not lying. He looks disappointed as I see his jaw clench but he nods reluctantly.

"Great, now where in the hell can a man get a drink on this thing?" I clap Shepard on the back which surprises us both. It seems so familiar but wrong as too much time has passed and pain felt on both sides. He answers after a moment of awkwardness and I place my hand clumsily back in my coat pocket.

"You can stay in the Port Observation area on the third deck, it comes with a bar." I nod and go to leave but he calls out to me.

"There is still much we need to discuss Heath but it's…it's good to see you again." I turn and look at him as I get on the elevator and force my best impression of a smile.

"You too brother, you too."

N7N7N7

I haven't been on deck three for more than two moments when I know that Goto has run her pretty little mouth off. Bloody bitch that is just what I need! I grimace as I walk quickly toward my room trying not to be noticed but that's a little difficult as the elevator makes a noise like a banshee announcing my arrival. I walk past the main mess hall and glance in to see everyone frozen staring intently at me. She is there of course, front row and center with her arms crossed looking me up and down with contempt. I resist the urge to pull my gun out and settle for an angry growl as I stomp off toward the Port Observation. I immediately lock the door, throw my gear on the couch and attack the bar. Not even bothering with a glass. I feel like a caged animal, claustrophobic. I don't know how long I can handle being here. Maybe it would be the best to slip out in the night like this never happened. Sure he had some mission he needed help with but I had a mission of my own and there was nothing that _anyone _could say or do to keep me from it.

N7N7N7

"Shepard, I wasn't expecting you." The Illusive Man states as he sits in in front of me enjoying yet another cigarette. I bring my hand up to scratch my head unconsciously.

"There were some unexpected revelations." He just tilts his head to the side unfazed.

"The mission was a success. Both Goto and Orion are on the ship." I take a deep breath in before continuing. "The surprise was that Orion turned out to be my brother, Heath Shepard." I pause and watch him keenly. Although his face betrays no emotion, he can't hide it in his body language and when the ash from his cigarette falls on his pants it is confirmed. He is spooked. This all happens in a moment as he quickly regains his composure coughing before taking a long relaxed drag.

"That _is_ interesting. Did you discover what he wanted?" My eye's narrow.

"No, it didn't seem like the most important thing to ask given the limited time I've had to speak with him."

"I wasn't trying to be callus Shepard but there is a need for urgency. The sooner we know Orion's motives, the sooner we can get him on board. Was there anything else?" He asks as he puts his cigarette out ending the conversation.

"That's all."

"Good, please inform me when you know more." The Illusive Man signs off leaving me alone in the dark room. Taking a deep breath I nod, time to get back on track. As much as the Illusive Man is being cold bastard he is right, people's lives are at stake. I stride out of the room and Miranda is there waiting for me, probably having listened to the whole conversation.

"Commander could I have a word?" she asks me surprisingly with what might be a hint of kindness. I nod before heading back into the briefing room putting the lights on.

"I know who Orion is and I wouldn't be surprised if the whole ship knows by now. Are…are you alright?" Miranda asks me with poorly masked timidness.

"I've been better. I'm not the one used to being surprised by the man brought back from the dead. There is still so much I don't understand." I run my fingers along my jaw enjoying the roughness of my stubble while Miranda fidgets in front of me clearly uncomfortable.

"Er well good. We should be landing on Omega in the morning. I expect this revelation not to interfere with the mission." She snaps back to her old self as she hurries out of the room. Nothing is what it seems anymore.

N7N7N7

After several drinks I am still not drunk enough. The last twenty four hours of my life play in my mind like a movie on a continuous loop that I cannot stop. I am finishing the third bottle when I'm startled by the door opening. Dropping the bottle I spin around and dive to the ground as I pull my pistol from my hip and aim at the door. The bottle smashes next to me as I lie on the ground in a pool of glass and alcohol when Shepard steps in.

"Old habits die hard." I grunt as I get to my feet, using my hat to brush the broken glass from my coat. He raises an eyebrow and waits until I'm on my feet before speaking.

"Heath I just wanted to let you know that we will be landing on Omega in the morning." Omega was my kind of town. Dark, dirty, dangerous and beautiful in its own twisted way. The perfect place for someone to get lost in the crowd. The perfect place to disappear.

"I have business there and it could take some time. I would prefer that you stay on the ship until I return as there is still much to discuss. I of course won't stop you from leaving if you have business of your own to take care of but I hope…" he pauses with a pained expression.

"I hope you will come back." The last words make my skin crawl. All the guilt I have buried seems to be bubbling to the surface making me feel sick to my stomach. Shepard doesn't give me a chance to respond, leaving as quickly as he came.

"Bloody hell." I grab the next bottle and open it taking a long drink. This was why I cut off all the ties I had, they interfere. There is no room for emotion when it comes to revenge. I need to stay focussed, cold and calculating. These _feelings_ would only get in the way and the longer I stayed the more fleshed out they would become. I needed to get out of here and the sooner the better but there were powerful people at work here. Cerberus of course but it must be quite high up the ladder. I'm not sure exactly how much it costs to bring a man back to life and considering I wouldn't even have believed it possible it must be a hell of a lot. That sort of investment would need to be monitored and it wasn't hard to guess who was in charge of that. Time to face _her._ Taking a last swig for courage, I slap my hat on and make for the mess hall. It's empty thankfully and I'm just in time to see a mass of black hair disappear into what looks to be an office down the way. Just my luck. I swagger through the door without announcing myself.

"Orion I presume. Can I help you?" Arrogant and smug. I can hardly understand how I could have confused her for my Sophia for even a moment.

"I want to speak your boss. I want to speak to the head of Cerberus. The 'Illusive Man' I believe." I demand roughly returning the arrogance as I place my hands on her desk leaning over her. She just smirks folding her arms as she leans back in her chair cockily standing her ground. I like that.

"And why would he bother speaking to you?" I smirk.

"Well why would he bother recruiting me personally? Surely after all that effort he would at least be willing to talk to me. Especially since no real price has been negotiated. There is nothing keeping me here so all that effort would have been in vain."

"What about your brother? Would you really turn your back on him when he's asking for your help?" My lips curl into a snarl as I slam my hands on the desk which causes her to push her chair back ever so slightly. So she is cautious now, good.

"Do. Not. Test me. I will walk off this ship the minute we land on Omega and never look back. I've done it before and I _will _do it again." I lean forward even closer until my face is inches from hers. To her credit she doesn't flinch. I take this moment to look at her closely. She _is_ beautiful, breath takingly so but it's just too bad she's a heartless bitch.

"Your move." My husky voice is deadly. I back away slowly, turning to leave. Before I make it to the door however she calls out to me so predictably it's disappointing.

"I will make the arrangements." I can tell without looking that she must be rolling her eyes, annoyed at being forced to give into my demands. She doesn't like to lose, nor do I.

"Good. Make it before we land." I grunt without turning around as I briskly walk back to my quarters allowing myself a slight smile. It was the middle of the night so there wasn't much activity in the mess. Everyone had gone to bed like normal people. No sleep for me tonight. No sleep ever apart from the occasional few hours every other day. Insomnia was a bitch. At least I had something to get me through the night. Back in my rather huge room, I grabbed the bottle I was enjoying earlier and sat on one of the couches. Time to put Hock's money to good use. The thought of it still made me smile. The bloody bastard had paid me to kill him. If only every job could be so sickly satisfying.

Pulling my omni tool out I got to work.

[To: Information Agent #59714]

[Background]

[Miranda Lawson]

[Jacob Taylor]

[Cerberus]

[The Illusive Man]

I had read the two Cerberus Operatives names on a dossier on the woman's desk. It had been almost too easy. All there was left to do was wait. I had specially chosen Agent 59714 two years ago when she had entered into the information business because she was reliable, quick and thorough. Through these few years something of a friendship had grown between us. We shared information and friendly banter occasionally but not today. Today was all business.

[URGENT]

[ORION]

"Know your enemy and know yourself." I whispered. The information on all things Cerberus was extremely necessary, I wasn't going to share a ship with a bunch of fucking terrorists and not know every intricate detail I could about them. In a few hours I would at least have a basic knowledge of what I was up against. What we're up against. Finishing the bottle I take my coat and top off and stretch. Time to resort to one of my regular night time activities. Two hundred push ups would be a good warm up. Before I could start I had to clear my mind and there was something nagging at my conscience. My fingers flew across my omni tool sending one last message before I could get back to my workout guilt free. This ship was already making me bloody soft.

[INFORMATION TRADE – COMMANDER JOHN SHEPARD IS ALIVE]

**AN – There we have it. Took me a while but we are back on track now, sorry to all involved. Thanks for those who reviewed the first chapter and hope you enjoyed this one even though it was lacking a bit of action. Please let me know what you think!**


	3. Negotiations

Mass Effect The Revenge

**Chapter 3 - Negotiations**

In her large office in Illuim Liara T'Soni looked out her window at the buzz in the market place. Even though it was the middle of the night, the worker bees were as alive as ever, serving the hive the way they knew how. She straightened her lilac dress, smoothing the creases with a delicate touch of her hands before turning back to her neatly organised desk.

A lot had changed in the last two years. She had established herself here on Illuim and was known and respected among the community. If she had wanted to she could take even more control, getting involved with the politics of the place but that wasn't necessary for her plans. This work was only a means to an end. Such a change from the shy, bumbling girl who played around prothean dig sites for months in solitude. The girl that would never hurt a fly. Now she threatened to unleash her biotic abilities on anyone who didn't give her what she wanted.

She only had to resort to that once. She couldn't remember the turians name and she didn't want to. Liara's hand had been forced. The turian was the first and the most public to speak out against her, he just didn't know when to give up. Naturally she had to make an example of him. Beating him within an inch of his life had been tough but necessary for her plans to succeed. She had needed the bees to fall in line and serve her so she could find the one she was hunting. She was going to destroy the Shadow Broker to avenge her friend. The friend that had risked everything to save her, she was doing this for Feron.

The beeping of her console deterred her attention from her inner thoughts. One of her first clients, the assassin and thief Orion. Liara hadn't heard from him in six months and had assumed he was dead. She smiled.

"Of course he's alive. He's the best for a reason." Liara T'Soni spoke to herself softly. They had never met in the few years they had been working together but they had developed something of a friendship. It all began when Orion crossed Nassana Dantius.

Orion had been commissioned to steal an item for Nassana Dantius and kill the woman whom it belonged to. What and who, she wasn't sure but something must have been off for Orion to react the way he did.

Instead of doing what he had been paid to, Orion kept the item for himself and let the woman live, setting her up with a ship to get off world and disappear. He didn't leave it at that, before disappearing he hacked into Nassana's terminals copying all of the files before destroying them. Nassana had been furious and had sent every mercenary at her disposal after him, telling them to 'bring back his head or don't bother coming back.' None of them ever came back and the few that did were killed upon return out of Nassana's growing rage and frustration. Orion was too good. When he wanted to lose himself he could. He was very good at that.

Nassana had taken a long time to recover from the damage that Orion had caused and Liara had reaped the benefits. In trying to chase Orion, Nassana had spread her forces too thin, sending her men on a wild goose chase and having the rest try and recover decades of information. The event had reduced her standing in Illuim greatly. Not only that but Orion decided to share the vast information he had recovered on the diplomat and her dealings with Liara. Goddess knows why, she had never even spoken to the man before but the intel had changed everything. This information had been one Liara's first stepping stones in her rise to power on Illuim and for that she would be grateful to the man she knows as Orion.

"Cerberus" she said aloud. Not too strange a request, a lot of people commissioned her to acquire information about Cerberus and their dealings but she wouldn't have guess they would interest him. _Miranda Lawson. _Liara knew her too well. Cold, beautiful and deadly, she wouldn't be afraid to stomp on your heart after cutting it out.

It had been two years since Liara had left the remains of Shepard's body with Miranda Lawson and her Cerberus scientists. She had often wondered if she had done the right thing. Cerberus was the enemy but they had told her everything she had wanted to hear. They could bring John back to her! Was it possible? Were they just experimenting on his remains or were they going to bring him back as a monster, a slave to be used? She shuddered at the thought but Cerberus was indeed a lesser evil than the collectors.

Two years of mourning had been…hard. Especially when there was always the hope of him being magically revived by Cerberus but she had to face facts. John wasn't coming back. John was gone. John was dead.

Liara closed her eyes and allowed the tears to streak down her face as she sat in her chair, holding her head in her hands. It was then that the console beeped for the second time. Wiping her face Liara gazed at the console and that was when her heart stopped.

[INFORMATION TRADE – COMMANDER JOHN SHEPARD IS ALIVE]

"Nyxeris, hold my calls."

N7N7N7

Orion had received the information he had wanted in even greater detail than he had expected. He felt that she must have given him all the information she had gathered for herself on the group rather than the few drabs she would usually give out to the average client. She had also accepted the trade which meant Hocks money still burned a hole in his pocket. He would have to find another use for it but that wouldn't be too hard, you needed credits to breathe now days. He was just finishing reading the Cerberus files when Miss Cerberus herself walked right in. No knock or announcement, this was her ship. Didn't locks work on this damn thing!

"The Illusive Man will speak with you now. You have ten minutes." With that she turned expertly on her heel and walked out again. He grabbed his hat and pistol, putting them both in place as he made his way for the door. It was only when he reached the door that he realized that he didn't know where this meeting was going to take place. Of course, she had wanted to get her own back anyway she could. Orion growled as he watched her disappear in her office again.

"Bitch" he muttered as he made his way to the elevator, he would find his own way just fine.

It wasn't long before he was standing in front of the man he had been waiting to see. The big boss. The Illusive Man. He lounged in a chair in the center of Orion's vision. Impeccably dressed in what Orion was sure was a tailored suit, he looked every bit the part of the charismatic terrorist leader. Orion hid the smirk that pulled at his lips as he took in the bigger picture.

The man was sitting casually in front of a huge window that showed an amazing view of some corner of the vast galaxy. It was all a part of the show, Orion quickly realized. It was like a majestic throne room for the man to rule from. The impressive visual statement was meant to reflect the importance of the man that filled most of his view. Orion had learnt more about the man in these few seconds than he had from intel.

"Orion, or should I call you Heath?" he began the negotiations after taking a sip of his drink nonchalantly.

"Orion."

"So Orion, you know what we want from you. Your commitment and loyalty to Commander Shepard and his crew for the upcoming mission to go through the Omega Four relay and destroy the reapers and of course everything that leads up to that." The Illusive Man's hand had slipped into his breast pocket and pulled out a long slim silver case, he had then taken out a cigarette and placed the case back in his pocket during this last speech. Using the pause as a moment to light up and take a long practiced drag.

"The question is..." The Illusive Man let the smoke ooze out of his mouth as he continued without missing a beat.

"What is your price?" Orion paused for a long moment, enjoying the power he now had in the negotiation and just enjoying the ability to keep the man waiting. The Illusive Man just sat there puffing his cigarette seemingly unfazed by Orion's stalling.

"First of all, I want twenty million credits in my account now and another once the mission is complete. I want all my equipment and other expenses covered for the duration of this mission. I want a fully stocked bar at all times with top shelf booze, not that blue and red asari bullshit that's in there now. I want what you're drinking right now. I want you to ask yourself with every bottle you consider, would I drink the stuff? Anything less, don't waste my time. But most importantly and this is the hook. I want information on what happened in 2177 on Akuze." The Illusive Man went to say something but Orion cut him off.

"If you don't find anything I will leave this ship with the twenty million credits in my pocket and you will never fucking see me again. Questions?" Orion asked as he crossed his arms standing tall in front of the man who now seemed so small in his chair. It was clear that Orion had taken over the negotiations but the Illusive Man had, of course, let him, he wanted to learn more about the mystery that stood before him.

"Akuze 2177, what could you want to know about that? You were there." The Illusive Man remained as neutral as ever taking yet another sip of his drink.

"The beacon we were responding to was a trap, we were lured to our deaths and I want to know who was behind it. I found a woman, Vanese Chau, but she killed herself after I cornered her on Omega. She knew something, she knew who was responsible. Now I know you have resources and that they extend far beyond mere credits. Use them or I'm gone." Orion had thought he had seen something in the man's face as he had mentioned the woman and her death but he couldn't be sure. Just a gut feeling that the man knew more than he was letting on.

"Very well." The Illusive Man continued as he put the remaining stub of his cigarette out in the crystal ashtray that rested on the arm of his chair.

"I will see what I can find. In the meantime give your details to Miranda who will take care of the credits and expenses. The rest will also be taken care of. For now, it's good to have you on board Orion."

"You have two days to get something for me. Two days or I'm gone." Before the Illusive Man could get the last word in Orion closed the connection.

"Bet that doesn't happen to you often does it. You arrogant bastard." Orion strode out of the room feeling good, the negotiations had gone as he had planned and he was happy with the results. He was heading to the elevator when a redheaded woman crossed his path.

"You must be Orion!" She said with an unnecessary enthusiasm that Orion immediately hated. He pushed past her roughly to get into the elevator and she turned to address him again, standing outside of it.

"I'm Yeoman Kelly Chambers…"

"Go fuck yourself." He cut her off as the elevator closed on her shocked face. It was beginning to be a good day.

N7N7N7

"Viewing window off." After serving its purpose for the meeting, the Illusive Man spun his chair around and watched as the magnificent view disappeared. He was a little rattled. Orion was not the brute he had expected. He seemed to have a bit more intelligence behind him than had been anticipated which could make his future plans that bit more dangerous. The Illusive Man shook the thought as he finished his drink in one long pleasant gulp. He knew Orion's motives now and this short meeting had put a lot of the puzzle pieces together.

As if on cue, the console on the arm of his chair buzzed softly indicating an incoming call.

"Viewing window on." He said as he spun his chair around to face away from the now reappearing view. The Illusive Man straightened his suit and crossed his left leg leisurely over the other as the lights dimmed and the blue glow from the planet they were orbiting filled the room.

"Accept." The Illusive Man murmured and the image of a tall and thin man stood before him. Randal Kyle was not an impressive looking man. He had a long horse like face with squinty black beady eyes and no upper lip at all. Most of this was hidden behind long greasy blonde hair that hung like a curtain to his face. An unfortunate looking man, the Illusive Man thought once again but this image often inspired pity or no second thought at all and that gave Kyle an advantage.

Randal Kyle was one of Cerberus's most loyal operatives, radically anti alien he had single handedly orchestrated the deaths of several turians who had been behind a range of terrorist attacks on human colonies after the first contact war. Kyle had organized his followers to each take out an offending turian at the same time simultaneously across the galaxy. Most succeeded and the few that died were acceptable losses. The whole organization had been taken out in one fell swoop.

Kyle had taken care of the leaders himself, torturing them to the brink of insanity and then finally finishing them off by beheading them and sending the mutilated heads in boxes to their families on Palaven.

The man was clever, cruel and bordering on psychotic but he fought for humanity and had played one of the integral roles in Cerberus's rise to power and infamy. He was also a deft hand when it came to chemical weapons of mass destruction.

"Is it him?"

"Yes." The Illusive Man confirmed.

"Did Operative Chau compromise us sir?"

"No, it seems she followed her training well."

"Good." Kyle nodded his face suddenly stern as the gears turned in his mind.

"I still haven't been able to determine how he tracked her down so we will need to tread carefully. Who knows what information he might be holding back. He, of course, wants to know about Akuze which means we will need to fabricate a story to better serve our interests. I'm putting you in charge of this Kyle. You have two days to come up with a _detailed _story, not too neat though, we know he has been investigating this for some time so we need to take that into account. Look at who Orion and Heath Shepard are and choose the right bait to make him to believe it."

"Does Z Cell continue operations as usual?"

"Of course, this doesn't change anything. Z Cell is still your number one priority, continue to send me regular updates and I expect a call from you in the next two days." The Illusive Man waited for a nod from Kyle confirming he understood what he had to do.

"Off" The Illusive Man said causing the holographic image of Randal Kyle to flicker before disappearing. The Illusive Man stretched in his chair. The beginning of his plan had been set into motion, the thorn in his side that could be Orion was being taken care of and instead of becoming a nuisance for Cerberus they were going to use Orion's anger against their own enemies. Orion was going to be turned into just another Cerberus puppet and the Illusive Man couldn't wait to test him out.

N7N7N7

"Omega. How I've missed you, you piece of shit." I can't help but say aloud as I breathe in what feels like fresh air for the first time since running into Johnny.

"And Omega's missed you too." My body moves instinctively at the sign of a threat, my left hand reaches for my pistol while my right triggers the sword that comes out under my right gauntlet. All the while my body maneuvers itself toward the threat, about to make contact. It's only when my eye's catch up that I stop the process, my sword inches away from the batarians neck.

"Moklan. What the fuck do you want?" I sneer as my face screws up in repulsion.

"You left quite the mess. Aria wants to see you. **Now.**" The batarian smiles as he leans his head to right, a batarian gesture of disrespect. The smug bastard thinks he's untouchable. To anyone else he would be but me, well that's a different matter.

"You know you shouldn't jump a dangerous man Moklan. That's how people get killed." The brown batarians four eyes squint in confusion as I smile. With a sharp jab of my right hand the sword shoots straight through his larynx and comes cleanly out the other side. Walking forward, I carry his body with right hand under his jaw and my sword holding him up, still lodged in his throat. Bringing up my gun in my left hand, I shoot him a couple of times in the face for good measure before tossing his corpse in the gutter.

I look at him for a moment as he lies there in filth, just another corpse on the streets of Omega. Another victim that wasn't strong enough to survive on this harsh asteroid. Putting my sword and gun away I walk toward Afterlife without looking back. The sweet adrenaline is pumping in veins now and I'm going to need every bit of it for my next meeting. It was time to face the music. It was time to face Aria T'Loak.

N7N7N7

"Orion, you have returned." Aria T'Loak states calmly as she lounges on her throne. She nods her head at her men and they are on me instantly. Sanak wraps one of his arms around my throat as he presses his shotgun roughly against my back, digging it into my spine as the rest of her guards train their weapons on me, just waiting for the order to shred my body to pieces.

"I know you're an arrogant human but what makes you think you can waltz into **my **club after killing one of **my** personal smugglers?" Aria says most of this with a level tone as she always does but you can hear the edge to her voice. At any moment she could give the kill order.

"The woman was a traitor and I can prove it. Now get this gun out of my back before I kill the dirty damn batarian." I spit out viciously as the strong grip around my neck tightens. I can hear Sanak laugh.

"You just try human. I've been waiting for a chance to kill you since we met." Sanak bashes the shotgun against my spine. It hurts.

"Shut up Sanak." Aria hisses and I can hear his teeth grate by my ear.

"Who do you think you are giving **me** orders?" She continues slowly and I scowl, she is testing my patience.

"Look I've done you a favor. Now get that gun out of my back before I kill him!" I growl with even more ferocity as my patience disappears. Spinning to the side quickly, I only get grazed with the shotgun shells as I don't move out of range quick enough. My kinetic shields absorb the damage easily. I grab the batarian's gun arm and break it against my knee forcing the shotgun to fall to the floor. He screams out in pain as I grab the now useless arm and twist it unnaturally behind his back breaking it further. I then bring my pistol in my other hand up and press it against his temple, holding his body close to me. It's only then after I've stopped that I see Aria standing with a hand raised, holding off her other men from killing me during my attack. My heart is racing as I press my gun hard against Sanak's head. Sure he is an important figure in Aria's entourage, but the thing with Aria is that anyone's expendable. It was a risk that my anger forced me to take and now it was time to see where the chips fell.

"I forgot how quick you were." She says with a smile as she walks closer to me. Sanak is sobbing as he mutters profanities in my arms. Aria gestures me to let him go and I do. I throw him across the room into one of her krogan bodyguards who instinctively lashes out at him with his gun knocking him out.

"Now then, let's talk." She gestures a seat to me as she holds off her men again. Nodding I put my gun away and comply. She had all the motive she needed to kill me the minute I attacked Sanak. If she hadn't killed me then she wasn't going to kill me now. Not yet anyway.

"Vanese Chau was a traitor. She was in charge of a range red sand shipments that came in off the record." I begin quickly but Aria just smirks.

"That's what I paid her for, to be my liaison. To make sure I got a cut of every shipment as has been agreed. Now I have to find someone else to fill that job." She looks away from me and I notice her men take a few steps toward us.

"Did she tell you about all of it? How about the additional ten kilos that every gang has been moving with each shipment for the last two months?" Aria's face darkens as she leans forward in her seat. I hold her gaze as I raise one hand the air as if to surrender as my other hand slowly reaches into the pocket inside my armored duster coat and grasps the datapad. I toss it to her lightly and she catches it easily with one hand. She scans it and scowls as the woman's treachery is confirmed. Suddenly she leans forward and pitches the datapad at the nearest bodyguards head. He's a batarian, I enjoy the moment.

"**What am I paying you for?**" Aria shouts losing her temper for the first time since the meeting began. She takes a few deep breaths before looking back at me.

"Well it seems I owe you my thanks. Why don't you work for me permanently?" The bodyguards relax and move back to their regular positions, seems like we are back to being pals. Thank fuck.

"Come on Aria, we've been through this. I have my own mission. I only do jobs for you when my credits are running low." I have worked with Aria T'Loak many times since becoming Orion. She would have to be one of my biggest clients. There is always a dirty job to be done on Omega and there is no one better to align yourself with. After the first two years of my on and off work with her she offered me a position as one of her top lieutenants. I turned her down that time and the half a dozen other times she asked. Aria T'Loak did not like being rejected but she wasn't about to kill me over it. I was more valuable as an asset, even if I wasn't completely under her thumb. It was because of this history together that she didn't kill me the moment I stepped foot on Omega, I was sure of that much.

"But you are always intervening. It's almost like you are looking out for me." Aria smiles slightly as she stands up and begins to pace in front of me. I frown. She is not entirely wrong. I have killed a few people who were looking to harm her. Most of them had wronged me, were batarians or had something I needed. But…I did have a slight soft spot for the queen of Omega. It was hard to admit that to myself but it was true. We were similar, both doing whatever we needed to do to get what we want and survive and she had been doing that for centuries. You have to respect that.

"Well if you're gone who am I going to fuck with?" I smirk as she sits back down in her throne laughing.

"I don't get to enjoy playful banter often. I think people may find me…intimidating."

"Yes I can understand that." I chuckle a bit myself, enjoying a rare moment with the woman who moments ago was holding me at gun point. Flirtation was all a part of her game, she used every talent at her disposal and it was this talent that had seen her rise to power on Omega. Working as one of the dancers in Afterlife as a cover while slowly making her way through the ranks finally challenging the Krogan warlord to single combat for the top position after gaining enough leverage. Clever woman. Deadly enemy. Almost enticing.

"Has Shepard come to see you?" I ask turning the conversation back to business. I wonder again what he is doing here on Omega and I'm sure if anyone's going to know, it's Aria.

"Yes. He wanted to know about a salarian scientist and Archangel." I sit up in my seat.

"Archangel? What does he want with him?"

"That's right, I forgot you two were _friends._ Well Shepard wants to recruit him but half of Omega has other ideas." I ignore her friends jab. We had worked together a few times. I was sympathetic, as much as a cold bastard can be, to his cause. Mostly I just wanted an excuse to kill mercs but he had helped me once and I wasn't about to forget that.

"Which merc group? Where is he?" I ask urgently.

"Blue Suns, Eclipse, Blood Pack. Everyone wants a bit of the action. They are taking him down on his own turf, that's all I know." All of them, working together. I didn't realize he was hitting them that hard. I stand up to leave knowing where I need to go but hesitate.

"You should be careful Aria, if the merc groups are banding together to take out Archangel who knows who their next target could be. I've told you before. You are letting them hold too much power." She laughs at me.

"Oh I don't think they will be getting that ambitious, especially after I increase my red sand cut after the Vanese Chau incident. You're the one who needs to be careful. Most of them know your face and know you have been an accomplice of Archangel." She stands up in front of me and moves her head close to my ear. I can feel her hot breath on my neck and it makes my skin tingle.

"You'll be dead before you get the chance to finally work for me." She laughs again before stepping away and turning her back on me.

"Oh and about Moklan, consider us even." I stiffen slightly as I go to leave. She had caught me off guard. I didn't think she would know about that until later and I had assumed if she had known she would have killed me just for the disrespect. I give her a nod before leaving. The bodyguard's growl as I go after having been cheated of my blood.

My pace quickens as I hit the dance floor, the floor vibrates with every beat of the bass as I push my way roughly through the throng of dancers toward the exit. I need to get to Archangel and fast. A man can only last so long pinned down in one place. I know that more than anyone and Archangel had been there to help me out when I was in a tight spot. Hacking into the first shuttle I see, I jump in and make for Volare Bridge, making the tin box go as fast as it can.

I owe him. And now it was my turn to save his life.

**AN – There is another chapter after quite the wait sorry, I've been travelling around a bit lately. This chapter was all about giving a bit of background and seeing what's going to be in the bigger picture of the story. Please, please review if you have any thoughts, love it or hate it. I would just love some feedback of any kind. Thanks! Next chapter is going to have a lot more action. Stay tuned!**

**Also the Kelly Chambers go fuck yourself moment, majorly inspired by Wolverines cameo in X Men First Class. Love that bit.**


	4. Volare

Mass Effect The Revenge

**Chapter 4 – Volare**

"This the lot of you? Eh, you will have to do. You guys are distraction team two, on my go you are to charge the bridge and take out Archangel. You get the credits when we get Archangels head."

"Piece of cake." A young human scoffs as he loads up his antique assault rifle, his gang of friends all grin along with him. Lambs to the slaughter, the mercenary thinks but then again they all are on that bridge. Volare Bridge, he shuddered. That's why he was happy to stay behind the scenes and send others to their deaths. He didn't get paid enough for this shit.

The mercenary holds his hand up to the group of humans as the call comes in.

"Alright distraction team two go go go!" The humans scramble over the crates quickly and push forward. The mercenary watches as they go and that's when he notices the bright yellow shuttle heading straight for them and his cover.

"INCOMING..!" he manages get out as the shuttle crashes into the wall of crates killing him instantly.

N7N7N7

It was not the first time I had jumped free of a crashing shuttle, probably not the last either especially when I was starting to get so damn good at it. Slowing myself down with biotics, I land crouched, poised and ready to go as I watch the shuttle crash. The few humans that managed to jump free were slowly regaining their senses and getting to their feet. Finally, it's time to see some real action. I let my mind darken as the void consumes me. There is only the battle for Volare Bridge ahead.

My heart races as I sprint toward them, not even bothering with my gun I press my palms and unleash the swords. They don't have time to register my presence when I'm upon them. There are three boys in total, two to my left and one on the right. I decide to take the pair out first. Both have just managed to get to their feet but they are slow, haven't even raised their weapons. I cross my arms across my body so my fists are by my ears and when in range I rip them back in a wide arc decapitating both of the boys simultaneously. Their blood covers me as their heads hit the floor with loud thuds, rolling around for a few moments before coming to a stop by my feet.

My eyes flicker to the boy on my right, he looks at me in horror. His hands shaking as he raises his gun at me and starts to fire. I roll toward him as he tries to drain my shields and kill me but he is too close and my shields are too strong. After the roll I lunge toward him on one knee and thrust my right palm forward embedding the sword in his guts. He is not wearing armour so the sword cuts through him like butter. These boys never had a chance.

I stand before ripping it out and down quickly, trying to get rid of as much blood on my sword as I can. The boy slumps to the ground trying to hold his intestines in the large gaping hole I created. I'm about to finish him off when his head explodes. Given my position in front of the body and the only direction the shot could have come from, the shooter is beyond gifted and I know that the bullet could only have come from one turian.

I turn around and find him on the balcony on the far side of the bridge. Archangel. He nods toward me and I return it with a raised hand. I'm just about to make my way over there when the shuttle I crash landed explodes and sends me flying halfway across the bridge. And it was all going so well. I just manage to put my swords away before I hit the ground, hard. I'm never going to live this down, why did it takes so long for the fucking shuttle to explode! My body groans as I get on my hands and knees and slowly rise to my feet. Archangel's probably laughing his fucking arse off.

With my ego more than bruised I grab my hat and run to the stairs before anything else can go wrong. The door's unlocked and I enter to find Archangel smirking at me.

"That was quite an entrance." I grunt.

"Saved your arse didn't it?" He chuckles as I come up next to him and pull the black widow sniper rifle off my back.

"Watching you fly through the air? It definitely helped." Our eyes meet and I can't help but join him in a smile. I look across to the other side of the bridge but only see a wall of smoke left by my surprise explosion. That must be keeping them busy. At least it was useful for something.

"So what brings you to my side of the bridge Orion?" he leans against the railing at ease as he realizes we have a bit of time.

"Curiosity mainly. I wanted to know how one turian can piss off the three biggest merc groups in the Terminus System enough for them to join forces just to take him out."

"You know what I've been doing here, guess I just rocked the boat too much."

"Well I'm impressed turian and that doesn't happen very often now days. You should know that Commander John Shepard is coming to recruit you for some suicide mission. I imagine he will come over with the mercenaries. Try not to kill him."

"Shepard!" he gasps unexpectedly causing me to turn back to him in interest.

"You know him?"

"I served with him on the Normandy but I thought he was dead." He stares at me intently.

"So did I." I sense movement out of the corner of my eye and see the mechs crossing through the smoke and onto the bridge.

"Let's take these bastards out first and then I can tell you all about it." He nods and raises his sniper rifle and I follow suit. Let the games begin.

N7N7N7

"What's the situation?" Commander John Shepard asks a frazzled Blue Sun's mercenary who is barking orders into her headset.

"Finally, people who actually look like they can fight!" The woman turns to them giving her full attention.

"All hell is breaking loose. Archangel now has back up. Another sniper too, our men hardly make it two steps before they are gunned down. We think it's that bastard Orion, he sent a bloody shuttle crashing into our defensive wall killing a dozen or so and generally fucking everything up." She takes her first breath in a long time. The woman's face is red and twisted in frustration. Shepard looks quickly at Miranda and Kasumi and both look as stunned as he is by the news. What on earth is Orion doing here? He was told to stay on the damn ship.

"I will send you with the large group that's about to go out, it will be your best chance at getting across the bridge. If you manage to kill both of the sons of bitches you get triple the bounty. Now go on and kill those fuckers!" Her hand is at Shepard's back as she roughly pushes him toward the wall of smoke. Well at least they can hope Orion's warned Archangel about them coming. Let's hope Commander John Shepard thinks as he steps through the smoke and into the unknown.

N7N7N7

The LOKI mechs stumble onto the bridge carelessly, sure there were hordes of them but they were so damn predictable that it almost took all the fun out of sniping. It was a good sign though. They had hardly seen any organic life in any of the waves since Orion had arrived and they could only have so many mechs at their disposal. But the knowledge was also quite disconcerting, what were they planning on the other side of the smoke? Whatever was coming next would be big.

"247." Archangel says as he reloads his sniper rifle quickly. Having two of them made incredible difference, after the first wave they had easily worked out a system without ever having to utter a word. Archangel took the front line, firing first so that when he reloaded Orion was firing taking out the back line and outside of those parameters they worked on instinct which was so in sync it was as if they acted with one thought. There was never a wasted bullet.

"62. You know this game doesn't really work if one person starts hours before the other." Orion says as he takes out another two mechs before reloading. Archangel half laughed half grunted as he brought his rifle up to take out the last few mechs in this wave.

"Not my fault you were late. Besides it should give you an incentive to catch up. 251 for now and that would make you…" he turns to Orion and smirks, his scarred face not looking so dangerous for a moment.

"64 but one of yours should be mine. You stole my kill by taking that humans head off, that's frowned upon in most circles."

"Well maybe next time you should get to the point rather than dance around with your swords. It would probably save you from getting blown up by your own shuttle in any case."

"Careful Archangel, as a freelance I am free to change sides anytime I like." Orion says in good humour. He leans the widow against the edge of his cover and looks over the bridge. Running a hand across his face for the first time since this began he notices that it's covered in hard, sticky dried blood. He takes off his hat to find that it too is covered and frowns in annoyance. Decapitated humans do spill a lot of blood but he hadn't even felt it at the time. That's what happens in the void, there is no feeling other than the fire to fight. Sometimes Orion wished he could stay there at all times; the relief that emptiness brought was addictive.

"I thought you said you were going to build a team? Or didn't you find enough vigilantes with a death wish?" Orion asks and the Turian's face darkens.

"I found a team alright and they were a good team, a great team but my feeling got in the way of my better judgement. We were betrayed by one of our own and I should have seen it coming. I will find him and make him regret the day he ever stepped foot on Omega." Archangel looks away.

"Bastard!" Orion spits with venom. "I know what is like to have your whole team killed. Men and women who were depending on you to lead them and keep them safe only to have them slaughtered in front of you. The need to find the sons of bitches responsible so you can make them feel every second of pain they inflicted on those you cared about. The need to destroy them whatever the cost be it your own soul. I hope you get him!" Archangel tilts his head quizzically as he listens to Orion, surprised by such a passionate outburst. Orion, realizing what he had done, shakes it off and grabs his rifle and looks down the sights.

"Damn smoke, can't fucking see what they are up to over there. "

"Well it was your shuttle that…"

"Don't make me get my swords out again, we can find out how well you dance turian."

"Get ready human." Archangel says quickly bringing up his rifle. "It looks like things are about to get a bit more heated." A group of at least twenty mercenaries stream out of the wall of smoke followed by a YMIR heavy mech and three tag alongs.

"Shepard's team is bringing up the rear, watch out for them. 65." Orion calls out over the loud rattle of gun fire. Archangel can't help but take a moment to stare at Shepard. It's him, it really is him. Unfortunately his time for staring is brought to an end when his shields are taken down by the spray of a couple of merc's. He rolls back behind his pillar and waits for them to recharge patiently.

"Don't tell me you're losing your touch. 71." Orion calls out as he reloads again.

"Just giving you a chance to catch up." Archangel says as he turns out of his cover and places a perfect shot on the YMIR mech blowing it's head off and causing it to explode killing a couple of mercs at its feet.

"254." Orion just scowls as he pops out of his cover taking another one down. By this point Shepard is half way across the bridge and that's when Orion notices who has brought along with him. Goto and Cerberus bitch, his two favourite people. And then they are out of sight across the bridge and making their way up to the two of them. They both take out the last dregs at the same time with head shots of course.

"78"

"262"

"I've still got time." They laugh roughly as the door opens behind them with Shepard entering with Miranda and Kasumi at his heels.

"Garrus! I thought that was you!" Shepard exclaims as walks over to him and pulls him into a half hug, half hand shake.

"So it's true, you are alive. It's good to see you again old friend."

"You too Garrus, best surprise I've had in a long time. I see you have met Orion." Shepard looks at the blood covered man with a raised eye brow before turning back to Garrus.

"We'd met before although I'm still confused by his appearance." Garrus Vakarian looks into Orion's eyes and he stares back intently.

"Let's just say we're even." He says and Garrus's eyes narrow first in confusion and then fill with understanding. Of course, it all comes back to the event last year when he first met Orion.

_It was when he had first landed on Omega after leaving the Spectre program. He was still getting used to the place. Garrus had been walking through the market place one day when everything had gone to hell. A gang of Turians he now knows to be the Talons had appeared and killed one of the shop owners and afterwards they began to fire on everyone in the area. A man wearing a black armoured coat and a strange hat jumped right in the middle of the group from one of the roofs. He had two pistols in his hand and what looked to be swords coming out of his gauntlets. He used the swords to kill two of the turians during his landing, driving them down their necks as he hit the ground. It took a few moments for the other turians to realize he was there and in that time he killed another, stomping on his knee sending him to the ground before a sharp jab to the neck with a sword._

_Then there were four all fully aware of him now. Garrus was about to move then, pulling his sniper rifle off his back when he saw something that gave him pause. A blue aura started to surround the man, a biotic he thought surprised. The talons began to fire but it was too late. The man jumped high in the air and just as quickly smashed his fist on the ground with a roar sending the turians flying backwards. The swords had disappeared now as he ran at the closest one shooting to drain his shield then finishing it with two shots to the head and one to the heart at close range. The man was covered in the blue aura again when he turned around to find his next target. For a moment he disappeared and then reappeared on the other side of the room, crashing into the turian, who had just got to his feet. He placed the butt of the pistol on the turians naked neck shooting him twice. _

_He stood and turned on the last two turians when a new one appeared behind him. The turian with the moment of surprise smashed his shotgun in the back of the man's head sending him crashing to the floor and causing him to drop one of his pistols. He was on his knees in an instant, the swords reappearing once more, he spun in a circle his arms out stretched. The swords perfectly slicing through the thin slit that separated the bits or armour around the turian's knee. The turian screamed as his body hit the ground minus the bottom half of his legs. He withered on the floor as a dark pool of blood began to surround him. He wouldn't last much longer. _

_Now the final turians were on the man. One shot point blank at both of his arms with a shotgun destroyed the swords and surely injuring his arms considerably while the other grabbed his throat. The man was lifted off the ground as the turian slowly began to choke him. The other swiped at his face leaving two deep gashes across it. It was all looking to be over for the man, it should have been but this man was not giving up. He quickly swung his legs up, wrapping them tightly around the turian's neck. With a sharp jerk the neck was broken and he crumpled to the ground taking the man down with him._

_But now the final turian wasn't taking any chances, he raised his shotgun inches away from the man's head and that's when Garrus decided to intervene. _

_The shot echoed in the room as the man awkwardly jumped to his feet, his arms hanging limply by his side he swung around looking for his enemy only to find the remains of his headless body by his feet. Garrus put the sniper rifle away and walked over to him, picking up the man's discarded pistols as he went. As Garrus drew closer the man sensed him and turned to him. Their eyes locked. The man looked at Garrus with such intensity he almost took a step back, he looked like a rabid varren, cornered and willing to do whatever it took to survive._

"_You fought well. I only wanted to return your pistols." Garrus said cautiously._

"_Did you take out that turian?" the man said roughly._

"_Yes." There was a long moment of silence as the men sized each other up._

"_Thanks turian." The man finally nods as he walks over to Garrus. Garrus returns the nod before putting the pistols slowly back in the man's holsters. The man nods again and starts to hobble away._

"_Do you need help?" Garrus called out to him. The man half turned and smiled._

"_I owe you enough already." _

Then he had disappeared into the depths of Omega. It wasn't until much later that Garrus had seen the man again and they had been properly introduced. Neither mentioned the event of their first meeting and he had never been sure if Orion realized that he had been the turian that had helped him that day. Now he knew and this was Orion's way of paying him back the debt he thought he owed him. Garrus nodded to Orion.

"Thanks human." Garrus says and receives a hint of a smile from the man in return followed by another nod.

"How have you two been holding up?" Shepard breaks the long silence that follows.

"Good." Answers Garrus. "A little boring since Orion got here."

"He has that effect." Kasumi comments dryly and it's clear that she is not referring to his marksman expertise. Orion doesn't take the bait, keeping his eye on the slowly disappearing smoke wall on the other side of the bridge.

"What should our plan be Garrus?" Shepard continues, ignoring Kasumi.

"With the five of us it shouldn't be too difficult. For the moment we should hold our position and wait for a crack in their defences and take our chances on the bridge. It's not a perfect plan but it's a plan."

"Sounds like the only one we've got. Garrus and Orion get on the team's frequency. Miranda and Kasumi I want you both downstairs at the end of the bridge, you work better in close quarters."

"Whatever you say Shep." Kasumi mock salutes and leaves them with Miranda close behind.

"It's time." Garrus calls out looking down his scope. Shepard pulls the assault rifle off his back and lines up the first shot. He gives Orion a side long glance as he does. It has been a long time since he fought next to his brother and he was curious and excited to see how it was going to turn out.

N7N7N7

I don't like the appearance of Shepard and his 'crew'. I'm in a foul mood. It is one thing to work with another person, there was a use in having one person to watch your back but to have four people was a crowd. And she was there. Always with an air of superiority and coldness that seemed to take over him even if he was paying her no attention. Maybe it was the reminder of Sophia or the way they could sound so similar but be so different. I take my mind off her as I look down the scope to see what remains of the Eclipse mercenaries, their leader Jaroth is among them which surprises me. The turian must have really pissed him off. I look over to Garrus and we share a knowing side long glance before the shooting begins.

As much as I hate working in a team, I enjoyed the time fighting side by side with Garrus. He more than matches my marksmanship, I grudgingly admit to myself and vow never to utter this out loud. The turian has a big enough head as it is. Archangel! Really? Not bad for conversation either, well avoiding real conversation which suited him just fine. I'm a little disappointed that we never teamed up before now but I have always had my own focus and he his. Oh well, now we have both sold our souls to the devil I'm sure we will be more than able to catch up on lost time. Fanfuckingtastic. I think again sourly as I shoot at the salarian taking down his shields just before a shot, which I'm sure belongs to Garrus, take off his head. Bloody turian, I scowl taking down another Eclipse vanguard but it's not the same as killing Jaroth.

The three of us on the balcony barely give the others anything to kill. Johnny more than lives up to his reputation and for the first time I see how he could have held off all those Batarians in the Skyllian Blitz. Damn war hero, they called him. I see it now.

The last Eclipse merc falls and we reload our weapons automatically preparing for whatever may be coming next.

"You got Jaroth?" I say rounding on Garrus, he just gives a non-committal shrug which I know means yes.

"Bastard." He laughs which makes me grate my teeth. He's just lucky I don't hate him.

"You really don't like to lose." It's not a question and he is right. I don't.

"Only the weak accept defeat. But in this case, the game was rigged from the start."

"275"

"Damn it, 91." By this point Miranda and Kasumi are back upstairs after receiving orders from Shepard to regroup to plan the next move.

"It's still a mess on the other side and now we've only got Blood Pack and Blue Suns to contend with. We could make a…" Shepard is cut off by a low rumble coming from below. The ground shakes beneath our feet and I can hear the sound of a distant siren.

"What the hell was that?" The voice takes my breath away and for a moment she's here with me and then just as quickly she's gone and the darkness, the loneliness all comes crashing down on me like a tonne of bricks. This was not going to do. All this woman had to do was speak and she could break the calm, the focus. A cold sweat began to form on my brow and the taste of metal in my mouth consumes me. Disgusting, I had not felt this weakness for a long time.

"Damn it. They breached the lower levels." Said Garrus fiddling with his omni tool. "Well they had to use their brains at some point. Looks like we have to split up."

"Alright Miranda and Kasumi with me. Garrus and Heaat….Orion" he continues awkwardly. "…keep them off the bridge." I didn't verbally acknowledge the order, just took up the post gun at the ready. I tried to find the calm, to find the void again but it had been shattered and as hard as I tried I couldn't get it back yet.

During the next wave I was a mess. I didn't miss the targets but I missed their vital points. Meaning wasted time and wasted bullets. Still the vorcha and krogan all fell down like tin soldiers, never reaching our side of the bridge though most of the credit went to Garrus.

"290, I think your chances of a comeback growing slim." Garrus says to me in the same comradely manner that we have kept up throughout this fire fight.

"97." I say hollowly.

"Really? I was so busy killing them I wasn't sure if you had got any."

"Are you still bored?" I ask flatly.

"No."

"Then shut up." I don't look at him but I know he's smiling, bloody turian. With a huge effort I finally have myself in check, all emotions once again under control and locked away where they won't bother me for the moment. The void starts to take hold of me now and I inhale deeply feeling the crazy calm seep through my body. From my chest all the way down to the tips of my toes and out through my fingertips. The nothingness is ecstasy.

"They're coming through the door! Get back here now Shepard."

"We're just sealing the last door Garrus, we'll be there soon." Shepard's voice crackles in my ear. I turn to find Garrus taking up position by the balcony across from the stairs and I hurry over to join him when Garm burst through the door with a bunch of his vorcha foot soldiers on the ground floor.

"RIP THEM TO SHREDS!" he yells. Before they can move out of the doorway we take down four of the vorcha, two a piece, and reveal our position. Garm looks at us and snarls.

"Kill the spare, I'll deal with Archangel." Dozens of vorcha and krogan mill out behind Garm sending sprays of bullets in our direction, pinning us down while they slowly take the stairs. There's too many of them and they are too close, we have to split up. I signal to Garrus, that I'm moving and he nods acknowledgment. I put my sniper rifle away and cover myself in a tactical coat as I make my way to the top of the stairs. Keeping low, I pull a pistol off my hip and wait. I take a peek down and find the stairs are full of vorcha that are almost at the top. I let my tactical coat fall and draw on all my biotic power. When I've reached my limit I pop out of my cover to stand at the top of the stairs and unleash a shockwave with a thunderous yell. The wave rolls down the stairs sending the vorcha flying several feet in the air before crashing down to the ground level. The ones that were closest to the top and felt the brunt of the wave don't get up again. I have time to drain a krogan's shield before my own is depleted and I'm forced back into cover. Garrus uses the opportunity to pick off the now weakened vorcha with ease, reducing their numbers considerably but still they keep coming like cockroaches through a hole.

Then the cavalry arrives. Shepard, Miranda and Kasumi come out the door under the stairs firing. Bullets, biotics, everything they've got. Garm makes for the stairs with a couple of krogan and a handful of vorcha at his back. He wants Archangel badly. They are heading straight for me and my biotics are still recharging after my last attack. Time for a bit of sword play, I smile. With the pistol back on my hip, I release the swords and listen. Heavy footsteps are leading. Krogan I'm sure but not Garm. He wouldn't come up first, not when he knows I'm waiting for him up here. When he reaches the second to last step I make my move.

It's a krogan as I suspected, I drive both swords deep into his eyes blinding him. He staggers for a moment, dropping his gun and groping at his face, a guttural roar escapes his lips. I silence him with a quick slash to the throat and finish with a strong kick to the chest. He's already off balance so it doesn't take much to knock him down. The krogan pinballs down the stairs crashing into some of the vorcha and taking them down with him to the bottom. Garm gets out of the way and it doesn't take him long to recover. He charges at me with unexpected speed. I only have time to position my swords before he hits me. One cuts his neck but he isn't fazed, I crash into the wall, hard. The wind is knocked out of me and I'm reeling from the blow but back on my feet and in a defensive position, moving so my back isn't against the wall. He smirks at my attempt and advances on me raising his shotgun.

"Orion huh, Aria's not here to protect you now." I don't give him the chance to fire, I run at him with my swords poised but he only grins and charges at me again in response. This time my swords only find armour before I'm thrown backwards once again. My shields are down and I'm feeling worse for wear. I get back to my feet shakily and into position again, this time a lot slower than the last. Garm allows it, toying with me.

"You humans really are thick." He says as I put my swords in position and prepare to run at him one last time. He charges once more in response and it's only a few moments before impact when I allow the biotics to course through my body and send it shooting forward like a spear. This time swords connect severing the nerves in his throat. He's still on his feet when I charge again, this time he uses his shotgun but his aim is clumsy. Still, with my shields down, it more than packs a punch. The shot hits my left shoulder. The shells rip through my armour and manage to reach my arm, not so much as to render the arm useless but enough for me to not enjoy using it. I slice at his neck again and manage to open the wound more which causes a torrent of dark blood to come pouring out.

Garm pump's the shotgun and this time aims for my head. I'm only metres from the gun and there is only one way I can go. I drop to the ground as quick as a cat, the shotgun shells rip through my hat sending it flying from my head. Not quick enough however as some of the shells cut through my scalp but at least my head still remains atop my shoulders for the moment. Before he can deliver the final blow I finish him. I kick him with all my might in quads and then when he is bent over I grab the sides of his head and in one quick jerk I snap his neck. It takes all my strength to snap it completely, krogans are tough mother fuckers.

Sheathing my swords I step back as his body slumps to the floor in an ever growing pool of blood.

"Got you, you son of a bitch." I grin and then blood clouds my vision, he got me too. I wipe the blood off my face and inspect my head wounds. Nothing serious, head wounds always look worse than they are. Always bloody. I scan the room and see that the blood bath is nearly over. The others are more than capable of picking off the last few mercs. I grab some medi gel and slap it on my head to stem the bleeding.

That hit the spot. I walk back toward Garrus, picking up my bullet ridden and blood soaked hat on the way. It almost has as much character as my face now, I think grimly as I put it back in place. It hurts but I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I saw you take down Garm, he was a tough bastard. I tangled with him once, never seen a krogan regenerate that fast. Never thought to get close to finish him off. That's usually suicide with a krogan but you proved me wrong. Twice." I grunt and give a slight shrug before looking for the others. Miranda takes out the last vorcha with a vicious warp and then there is silence. I look at the surrounding scene. There are dozens of blood ridden corpses across the floor and on the stairs. Still they don't compare to the bridge, the bodies are just heaped on top of one another where they fell. Most of them never had a chance, the bridge was suicide yet they still poured onto it like rats running from a fire. Volare Bridge. Such a waste but then again if they were stupid enough to go on the bridge maybe the galaxy was better off without them.

"That's the Blood Pack down which just leaves the Sun's and I think we can take them on the bridge." Shepard begins when the gun ship appears at the window.

"ARCHANGEL" The yell echoes in the room before being covered by the harsh sound of machine gun fire.

"Taking fire!" The voice yells. That voice. Sophia

_The sand whips in my face, obscuring my vision, as I run down the dune. Ignoring the ache in my legs, I push myself harder and in my haste trip over my feet and begin to tumble down the hill. I only roll a few turns before I manage to find them again. Jumping free of the hill to land on flat ground I pause for a moment to get my bearings. I see her in the distance, she is with two other soldiers and they are firing at something in the distance._

"_We are taking fire. I'm mean. We are being attacked!" I hear her voice urgently in my ear and the panic in me grows. I find a second wind, running faster than I knew I could. One of the soldiers goes down but she remains. If I could only reach her, I'm so close now._

"_SOPHIA!"_

"GET DOWN!" I yell and sending a shockwave toward Miranda and Garrus throwing them out of the way of the gunships line of fire. Shepard and Kasumi were on the others side of me close to cover and safety but the other side was bare and after throwing the other two across the room with a weak shockwave I was the only one left where we had all been grouped earlier. Logical point to send a missile. It lands metres from my feet and I'm lifted off the ground. Then there is darkness.

**AN - ****Another chapter after a long break, I would be lying if I said Mass Effect 3 didn't spur me on. I loved it but the ending was a little disappointing, didn't really give much closure to the trilogy but it did give me a lot of ideas for this story. I would love to continue this all the way through to 3 and a little beyond but it would depend on you guys. No point in writing something if no one is going to read it so please let me know if you think I should continue it or not, reviews make my day!**

**This chapter had a lot more action, maybe too much? Hope you liked it and thanks for the reviews and favorites! Greatly appreciated! Sorry for the errors. Next chapter on the way…**


	5. Awake

Mass Effect The Revenge

**Chapter 5 - Awake**

_How the fuck did I get here. I know I didn't fall asleep. I'm not stupid enough to let that happen. What was the last thing I remember? Archangel was there or Garrus or whatever they bloody call him now. Then there was the gunship and Sophia… an explosion. Fuck I was injured and unconscious and that meant a hospital for rational people and when they discovered what was under the hood it would mean anaesthesia._

_No…no…no I had to wake up! I had to get out of here. I began to yell but already I knew that my attempts were futile, none of the old tricks were going to work. When I was asleep or just knocked out I sometimes stood a chance of escape but not when I was under anaesthesia. That's why I avoided hospitals like the plague and had grown an extremely high tolerance to pain. Any pain was better than the pain I was about to endure. I was about to relive some of the worsts days of my life and there was nothing I could do to stop it. _

My world had exploded into an inferno of hell. One moment I was getting groceries from the store and the next I'm racing home in the shadows as screams and violence fill the air. The batarians seemed to have come out of nowhere and now they were going house to house and burning them, taking the colonists as slaves. They lined up anyone who resisted in the street and killed them without hesitation. My neighbours, my friends. I feel disgusted with myself as I leave them to their fate but I can't stop. I have to get home. I have to save them. With each burning house I pass my heart grows heavier and my feet quicker. They have to be ok.

I think back to when I last spoke with my mum and dad, only hours earlier but it now felt like years. She had been in the kitchen singing softly to herself as she sliced vegetables while he had sat in the living room on his favourite worn brown leather chair watching the latest news vids and sipping a whiskey. Just a usual Saturday at the Shepard household. Quiet and relaxed. I had said _'I'm going out' _and went to leave without another word. He called out to me _'Dinner is at eight and be on time! You know how important this is for your mother." _I had rolled my eyes as I opened the door. Then she called out _"Can you pick up some apples from the store? I need them for dessert." _I yelled back some form of yes in response before bolting out the door. Such an average conversation, it was as easy as blinking. Could be the last I ever have with them. I shake the thought out of my head as soon as it comes.

I try to snap myself out of that kind of thinking but it quickly consumes me. I play the conversation in my head on a loop. _I'm going out dinner is at eight and be on time you know how important this is for your mother can you pick up some apples from the store I need them for dessert._ Word for word, over and over again.

It's their wedding anniversary today. We were to have a big family dinner like we do every year. Mum was going make her famous apple crumble. Dad was going to drink his blue labelled Johnny Walker while telling us the story of how he proposed to mum and me and Johnny were going to smile and laugh at the right parts like we were just hearing the story for the first time. Not this year and maybe never again. No! Stop that. I grit my teeth as I make my way around the corner to the street where I live.

The air is thick and grey from smoke and bits of black ash float in the air as though they are frozen in time. My eyes are drawn to the third house on the left. The door has been ripped off its hinges and there is blood on the walls. I lose all sense of hearing, it's as though the world's on mute as I sprint toward my front door. Not even pausing to see if the bodies of Grant and Shirley Clark from next door are still breathing but judging by the pool of blood they are long gone.

I feel a small ounce of relief when I see the blood on the wall belongs to a now headless batarian. Stepping over him quickly I run to the kitchen and enter into a nightmare. Blood covers the once pale yellow walls, water is boiling over the stove violently and the dinner has been thrown across the room. The crystal vase that once belonged to Grandma Lucy has been smashed to pieces and the pink carnations they once held have spread across the room, some of them landing on my mother. Hannah Shepard.

_I scream for what feels like an eternity, until it feels as though my throat is on fire but still no noise escapes my lips and nothing changes. Nothing ever changes. It always plays out the same way, every single damn time I am forced to relive it._

She sits slumped up against the cabinets with her head lopped to one side staring at the wall opposite her. The vibrant blue eyes I know are now dull, a shadow of what they once were. The white dress she was wearing is red and ripped to shreds. Parts of her flesh lay scattered around the room amongst the food, flowers and crystal. I look up trying to find the leak or whatever it is that's dripping on my face and its then that I realise that I'm crying. I nearly trip over another dead batarian that lies in the doorway that I didn't notice before as I make my way to my mother. Crouching down next to her I go to check her pulse with a shaking hand even though I already know the answer. Sobbing I bring my hand up around her head and pull it to my chest and into a hug. _Can you pick up some apples from the store? I need them for dessert. _How could it just end like this? No warning, nothing. We hadn't done anything wrong! She hadn't done anything to harm anyone, ever.

As my hearing begins to come back I hear the sound of gurgling coming from the next room. Ripping myself away from my mother's corpse I kiss her cheek before placing her softly against the cabinets. Standing slowly I take a few shaky steps toward the living room. There was still Dad and Johnny to think of. Closing my eyes, I tried to prepare myself for what I was about to see but nothing could ever have prepared me for that. Blood everywhere, I never could have imagined that so much blood existed. Another dead batarian, this one pinned up against the wall by dads knives. Two in the head and three in the chest aimed with expert precision. Dad was a surgeon with a knife and an amazing swordsman, both unusual skills in this day and age but it was more of a hobby for him. His father taught him and he, in turn, taught me and Johnny though I was more interested out of the two of us. Looking away from the pinned batarian I scan the room desperately and locate the gurgling sound. It's coming from underneath dad's favourite chair which has now been turned over. An arm pokes out from underneath the chair twitching erratically. It's human.

I skid on the ground next to the chair not even feeling the broken glass as it cuts my knees open. With unexpected strength I throw the chair across the room and come face to face with my father. Alexander Shepard. Blood fills his mouth as he gurgles and splutters trying to breath, his eyes roll around adjusting to the light before finally fixing themselves on mine. He grabs my arm hard and pulls me closer to him.

"Hhh…..Heath." He spits out a mouthful of blood before continuing. "Ww…where's your mother? They took hhher." I can feel I'm crying again, the tears cloud my vision but I can still see my dad looking around trying to find her.

"She's. She's. She's dead daddy." I finally manage. His face breaks as grief begins to overcome him but he doesn't let it. He only lets himself lose it for a moment before coming back to me showing an inner strength I have never seen.

"Find. John." He gurgles as the blood spills down his chin freely. I nod as I try to supress my tears.

"I will, I promise." I grab his hand and hold it between both of my own. His face relaxes.

"Good." He smiles as he spits out one last mouthful of blood. "A a aaalways remember that your mother and I lll…llooove you both vvvery much. Ppplease looook after Jjjooohn, Heatth." He lifts his hand out of mine and brings it up to my face and strokes my cheek softly.

"I love you both too. So much!" I close my eyes and kiss his hand, holding it against my lips and within a few moments I feel it go limp. I screw my eyes shut tight because I know that when I open them again I am going to see that my dad is dead. I place his hand on the ground softly and stand up slowly, taking a few steps back, the broken glass crunching under my feet. As I open my eyes I look at my dad's body for the first time or what's left of it. It looks as though they used his own sword against him. All that remains is his torso, his spine and intestines are visible as they peek out of the huge pool of blood that surrounds him. His legs are nowhere to be seen.

_I feel like I'm being burned alive as my scream goes on and on. Wake up you son of a bitch, wake up! Please… I need to wake up! _

Shaking I stare in horror, how had he survived for so long? What the fuck was wrong with these _things_! How could they do something like this to innocent people?

In that moment the intense grief I felt turned into a fiery rage in the pit of my stomach. These monsters had killed my mother and my father, my neighbours and friends. They were also standing in between me and my brother. It was their turn to be afraid and it was their turn to die. With a grim determination I take my father's sword and knives causing the batarian to drop to the floor. I take its shotgun and a few grenades. I don't even know how to use these things but I've seen vids. Just point and shoot, or so they say. No time to worry about it now, no time to waste. Have to find John.

With one last look at dad I run out the back of the house and into the alleyway. Probably best to stay away from the main road but nowhere is safe. _Always stay alert. _Dad says. Used to say. The screams have died down since I was last outside and have now been replaced with an eyrie silence. John had practice today which means he should be around the sports field. He has to be there. I grunt as I hurdle over a fence. Not far now. Rounding the last corner before the field I hear voices and quickly slow myself down. Keeping in the shadows I creep toward the source. Standing just behind the Phillip's house are two batarians who are laughing at the little girl they've cornered. Lily Phillips, five years old. I went to school with her older brother Aiden.

"Look at this runt! What is she going to be good for?"

"She will be perfect for a few of our _specialized _clients. They love em young." The first batarian laughs cruelly as he crouches in front of Lily.

"You are going to wish you were dead like your _mummy and daddy_." At this Lily bursts out into uncontrollable tears. I can't take much more and the fire in my belly intensifies forcing me into action. These fucking animals were going to pay for all the pain they had caused. Charging at them in a silent sprint I let loose two of my knives aiming at the second batarian's head and heart both hitting him simultaneously throwing him into the bushes. The first batarian stumbles for his gun and by the time he has aimed it at me, my sword is already slicing through his outstretched arm. He screams in pain as I sever it completely but not for long as the next rapid stroke of my sword decapitates him. This all happens in less than thirty seconds. The first time I've ever used a real sword against someone, the first time I've killed anything. My hands shake as I put my sword away and reclaim my knives from the body of the second batarian. The blood, wet on my fingers, makes it hard to grip the knives. Resisting the urge to vomit I wipe the blood from my face and hands and turn to Lily. Someone surely heard the batarian scream. We need to get out of here now.

"Lily, its Heath Shepard. I went to school with your brother Aiden. You're safe but we have to go. Now!" I finish urgently. I can hear people running our way in the distance. I hold my hand out to Lily desperately and although she is still sobbing she grabs it firmly after a few moments of hesitation.

"Let's go." I manage a weak smile as I wheel her off toward the field but it's then I realise that I'm running down a long stretch of road with nowhere to hide. There is no way we are going to make it before the batarians arrive behind us. Grabbing Lily's arm roughly I swing her into my arms and run as fast as I can. It's as though I'm flying as I reach the end of the road. The batarians will spot me any moment now. I just have to get around the corner. Just around the corner. I feel a sweet sense of victory as we make the corner in time but after a few more steps it is quickly replaced by shock when I hear the gun shot and feel myself get lifted off the ground. I'm thrown like a rag doll backwards, still clutching Lily in my arms we end up in a heap on the ground.

"There is no escape." A filthy voice jeers as it comes closer toward us. Still able to move I manoeuvre my shotgun into position. Pretending to be dead, I lay limp waiting for him to get closer. Soon enough his disgusting four eyed face is right in front of me trying to confirm the kill. That's when I strike. Pressing the shotgun to his face I pull the trigger and he disappears before my eyes. I struggle to my feet with Lily still in my arms. We need to hide right now. No time to even think it through, I dive into a nearby rubbish bin and close the lid softly behind us. Fuck. Fuck. Please let her be alive. Please. Someone has to live. I pant as I recall what just happened. The batarian shot us with a shotgun at close range. Close enough to lift me off my feet. Yet I feel like I've barely been hit. That must mean…I slowly turn Lily around in my arms to discover the horrible truth.

_Please stop. No more. I can't…._

I hold my face in my shaking hands as I begin to cry again. Lily's body is unrecognizable after taking a majority of the damage from the shotgun. Dead upon impact. A little girl died in my arms today and it was my fault. If I had gone a different way. If I had carried her on my back instead of in my arms. If I…Sitting in a pile of rubbish with a dead little girl lying next to me I sob into my hands until I hear the batarians approach.

"We've lost another one."

"That just means a larger cut for each of us. Think there will be any more?"

"Nah, most of its up in flames now anyway. Reckon he's the last one." I hear a crunch and a grunt from what sounds to be a man.

"Let's get the fuck off this planet then. Filthy humans, I can't stand em." As they say this I hear them start to leave and I begin to think. I could stay here for days mourning all that I had lost but I can't let myself do that. I needed to be strong for mum, dad and Lily and I needed to find John. I open up the lid slowly. There are two batarians, both of them with their backs to me and in between them is a human. My heart seizes up in my chest. There was still some light in the world. It was Johnny! He's alive but badly beaten. He looks lame as he struggles to keep up their pace. Those fuckers will pay for what they've done. No one touches my kid brother.

And with that the anger washes over me once more like a tidal wave. It's now or never. I kiss Lily on the forehead and tell her I'm sorry one last time and then I'm angry again.

I leap out of the bin, sword poised and aimed at the closest batarians back. I hit him at the same time as I hit the ground. He lets out a yell as my sword slices through his unarmoured body easily and comes out of his chest the other side. It doesn't take long for the other batarian to recover and he pistol whips me in the face before I can make another move causing me to lose my grip on the sword leaving it lodged in the other batarian. I land flat on my back but with my knives in hand. He runs at me thinking I'm easy prey, relishing the idea of beating me to death but then he sees the knives and his delight disappears as they leave my hand in quick succession, just like dad had taught me. Not before he lets out a shot that rips through my shoulder. Two knives through the eyes and two to the heart. He lands with a thud next to me but I'm already back on my feet. The other batarian is reaching for his gun and I can't have that. Charging at his back I push the hilt of my sword deeper and knock him to the ground. He squirms there like an insect stuck on its back. I stand over him and think about what the batarians have done.

Ripped apart my home, my mother, my father and poor Lily Phillips before my very eyes. Nothing justifies what they have done here and for that they can receive no mercy. I let out a guttural scream as I begin to stomp on his face. Hard and fast. I don't know how long I've been doing it for when John grabs my arm. When I look down again there is no head, just a bloody pile of mush and bones. I can't even feel my foot anymore, my whole body is numb. I go to ask Johnny how long but I stop myself. I am scared of the answer. He can barely hold himself up and I can tell he is exhausted and moments away from passing out. I hold him upright with all the strength I can muster.

"It's alright." I tell him softly. "I've got you." He smiles like a child, so trusting and innocent before collapsing in my arms. The batarians sound like they are leaving but you can never be too safe. I have to get us out of the city. There is an Alliance base not too far from here. I'll find help there. Throwing John lightly over my good shoulder I begin to head north one step at a time. I have to save John. I have to.

_And then it plays out again and I'm sickly relieved because that means I only have to live through Mindoir this time not both of them. Not Akuze. Anything is better than Akuze, even this hell. I lose track of how many times it plays, they all just roll into one. They all die, they always die and he always watches, bound and unable to stop it. At some point my screaming dies down and is replaced by the dark and heavy weight of hopelessness. It swallows me whole like an ocean, the hopelessness slowly seeping into my body as I sink deeper and deeper into the abyss. Let it end. Let it fill my lungs. But I am given no such mercy. It plays out again forever._

I bolt upright in the bed with a roar. Snapping my head wildly I find myself in what I'm guessing is the med bay on the Normandy. There is a woman in the room but I can't make out her face. I rip the cords from my arm and jump off my bed. The woman is next to me, I think she is trying to calm me down but I don't hear her. I pull my arm roughly from her grasp as I run through the door and make for my room. I'm drowsy and I find it hard to walk in a straight line so I use the wall as a crutch, bumping into it every few steps to correct my course. After what feels like a decade I make it to my room and head straight for the bar.

I go for the first bottle I see but my hand eye coordination is off and it crashes to the floor. I have more luck with the second, taking it between two shaking hands as I slide to the floor behind the bar.

"FUCK!" I yell as I struggle to remove the lid. Finally after more fumbling I get it off and it's to my mouth in an instant, I'm so impatient half of it ends up running down my bare chest. The rest of it I inhale like I'm breathing air for the first time after nearly drowning. Gradually my heart rate begins to slow down and my panting is nearly brought under control. I hold the bottle to my lips upright and it takes me a long time to realise that it's empty.

"Damn it!" I throw it as hard as I can against the wall and it shatters satisfyingly. I rummage on the bar blindly and find another bottle soon enough. I drink it but still the pain doesn't go away. It's still raw in my mind and I see those bodies whether my eyes are open or closed. So vivid, each detail as clear as the day it happened. Drinking helps, it's all I've got to keep the night terrors away. I laugh at the thought and choke on the damn asari blue swill. Coughing violently, I catch my breath and run a hand through my greasy long hair.

I had turned to drugs first. Red sand was pretty easy to come by if you knew the right people but it was unpredictable and I found myself stuck in the flashbacks for days. Nothing was worth the risk of that I quickly realized so booze became my poison. My saviour really and what a beautiful mistress she was. Reliable, cheap and always up for a good time. I place the bottle next to me and slump further to the ground so only my shoulders and head rest against the bar. I hadn't had one this bad in a long time. Bloody anaesthesia, never fucking again.

N7N7N7

"What happened Doctor?" Commander John Shepard strode into the medbay with Miranda Lawson at his side. Dr Karin Chakwas rose from her chair to greet her superior.

"When Heath woke up, he was extremely agitated. He ripped the IV's out of his arm and then ran for his room. As far as I know he is still there." She finished crossing her arms and holding them tightly to her chest.

"He didn't recognize me. Although that could be because it has been a long time but I don't think he could even hear what I was saying."

"How was his recovery coming along?"

"Well as you know, his body was a wreck and had been so for a long time. A handful of incorrectly set bones. Plenty of newly broken ones. Some internal bleeding. Lacerations. Bullets. I don't understand how the man managed to breath let alone fight. I would guess that he hadn't visited a hospital in several years and judging by the scars on his body I would say he had done all the stitching himself. I was able to repair the damage with the help of Doctor Solous. It was a tough surgery but he was recovering well. It has been two weeks since then and I had expected him to wake up soon but he still has to rest. I think you should be the one to check on him Shepard."

Shepard ran a finger along his jawline and nods with a sombre look on his face.

"EDI, is Orion still in the Port Observation Deck?" Shepard asked aloud.

"Affirmative Commander, he is currently seated behind the bar." The AI's voice echo's through the room, the voice sounding as though it were coming from all corners at once.

"I'll come with you Commander."

"You will do nothing of the sort!" he snaps back at the woman quickly.

"You don't know what state he's in, he could be dangerous." Miranda Lawson continued moving to stand in front of him.

"Then I will deal with him. Alone." With that final word he left as quickly as he came. He was worried about his brother. He had spent a few nights with him in the infirmary watching over the man. Shepard couldn't believe that he had let his body get into such a mess. Why hadn't he just gone to the hospital? Where did all those scars come from? What the hell had happened to his brother in the past nine years?

Shepard waited at the Port Observation Deck entrance unsure of what he was about to face. Taking a deep breath he pushed the button and entered cautiously. The room was dark and smelled of alcohol, Shepard waited for his eyes to adjust before entering.

"Heath? Are you there?" he asked tentatively taking a few steps toward the bar.

"It's John, I just wanted to talk to…."

"LEAVE ME ALONE." The voice is more animal than human and it's one that Shepard has never heard before.

"Heath, please." The man jumps up from behind the bar with a bottle in his hand.

"GET OOOOOOUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTT! The man snarls and throws the bottle. It wizzes just inches from Shepard's head and then smashes against the door behind him, activating it to open. John Shepard doesn't need to be told again, he quickly back tracks, never turning his back on his brother. Only when he's out of the room and the door closes does he relax.

"Shepard are you alright?" Bloody Miranda, did the woman ever do as she was told.

"I'm fine." Shepard said sharply, clearly indicating he was anything but.

"EDI I want you to track his movements and alert me if he leaves or does anything…stupid." He calls aloud and the A.I is there at once.

"Understood Commander."

"EDI I want to be updated also." Shepard rounds on her angrily.

"I'm closer Commander, if anything does happen I'm in a better position to respond." Miranda Lawson watches him carefully as he thinks on her words, knowing that he will see the truth. That she, of course, is right. Like always. Finally he nods before storming off.

She smiled to herself smugly as she looked at the door to Orion's room. Orion was a mystery. As soon as the Illusive Man had told her about his possible recruitment she had dug up everything she could about the man which, to her annoyance, had been practically nothing. The biggest break had been Shepard's discovery. That the thief and assassin Orion was none other than his thought to be dead brother Heath Shepard. It sounded like it was right out of a ridiculous pulp novel.

That discovery had opened a floodgate of information. Heath Shepard had grown up on Mindoir with his family supposedly happily until the day that batarian slavers invaded in 2170. The Shepard family had been slaughtered and the reports had said that Heath, twenty years old at the time, had carried his brother John, sixteen at the time, thirty kilometres until Alliance military picked them up. The report said that both the boys had been badly injured. Later that year Heath Shepard had signed up with the Alliance military and his brother John had followed when he was of age.

Heath had been quite the uprising star in the Alliance. He had amazing test scores as well as a tactical mind and the physical ability to match the toughest marines. It didn't take long for him to be accepted into the Interplanetary Combative Training program where once again he thrived where so many of his comrades failed. Miranda knew what the course entailed. She had read all about it when she had been putting Commander Shepard back together. It was one of the toughest programs in the galaxy. Even the recruits that didn't make it all the way were honoured and respected among their peers.

But Heath Shepard was not most men and through hard training and strength of character he soon received the coveted rank of N7. The rank his brother John Shepard would also achieve a few years later. With this prestige he was on the fast track of advancement and soon he had been posted on the SSV Gallipoli under the command of war hero, Captain Alistair Vaughn. There he excelled coming to the rank of First Lieutenant and due for promotion to the rank of Commander upon completion of his tour in 2177. That day would never come. On November the 5th 2177, fifty marines were deployed on Akuze to answer the call of a distress beacon. That unit was attacked by a thresher maw and Heath Shepard was the sole survivor. It was after this point the information on Heath Shepard came to an end with his supposed death on December 13rd 2177.

The next record of the man she was able to find was under the alias Orion in 2181, it was an eye witness account of his assassination of a Krogan Warlord on Illium. After that there were plenty of thefts and assassinations with no pattern that Miranda could see yet. She had the feeling that the Illusive Man knew more about Orion than he was willing to share. All he had told her of Orion's payment was that he wanted money, alcohol and information about Akuze. But what about Akuze he did not say and she choose not to press him on the subject. What had Orion been doing in those missing four years and what had he really been up to since? Miranda didn't like unanswered questions and she had to grudgingly admit the man intrigued her. Whatever the reason, she was going to keep a close eye on Orion from here on out and get to the bottom of this.

**AN – Hey there thanks so much for all the reviews they were very encouraging! Hope you liked the chapter, it was a bit darker but I think it had to be. Please let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
